June 25, (THEWILL) – A socio-political group, Project Niger Delta (PND), has berated elder statesman, Pa. Edwin Clark, over his charge to members of the Ijaw Publishers Forum (IJF) to protect the interests and launder the image of the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro.
According to the group, the comments by Clark regarding the appointment of the PAP Administrator should be ignored, as they do not reflect the aspirations of the Ijaw people, adding that he should understand the concerns regarding the appointment of Dr. Otuaro if he is an Ijaw elder statesman.
PND, in a statement by its Executive Director/Coordinator, Comrade Princewill Timipre Ebebi, said Clark’s call for the IPF to support, protect, and defend Dr. Otuaro is an attempt to undermine media freedom and possibly influence the office to send students on scholarship to his university.
It noted that it is public knowledge that Dr. Otuaro’s appointment did not follow due process, the reason he is helpless and seeking help from all nooks and crannies in the Niger Delta region and beyond.
“The leadership of Project Niger Delta (PND), with other critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta region, unequivocally condemn and strongly reject the recent call made by elder statesman and patriarch of the Ijaw ethnic nationality, Pa Edwin K. Clark, in its entirety by calling on Ijaw Publishers Forum (IPF) to protect and defend the Administrator of Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, over his appointment, which we see as coming through the back door.
“Pa Edwin K. Clark’s statement is never to be taken seriously because it is a sheer betrayal and abuse of trust by the Ijaw nationality on him for supporting what he fully knows that the appointment of Otuaro is not done rightly rather he chose to throw wind to caution by calling for support by the aforementioned group.
“This is so belittling of the respect and honour the Ijaws gave him as an elder statesman and patriarch but he has lost that respect amongst his kinsmen and the entire Niger Delta region because of his self-centred thinking, therefore, he has corroded the high regard the Ijaws have for him by supporting Otuaro who was never the person the Ijaws wanted to occupy that position because he is not for the interest of the people, not to really serve the people of the region but his paymaster.
“It is a well-known fact that Pa Edwin K. Clark, who served as Federal Commissioner for Information in 1975, claimed to be from Urhobo ethnic nationality but when things went down he chose to be from Ijaw nationality. He has not really demonstrated integrity in his words and actions, especially in this matter of Otuaro’s appointment that the entire people in the region reject,” the statement read in part.
The group, therefore, called on Clark to withdraw his call for support for “his special candidate forthwith”, noting that “the appointment and supervision to man the PAP office falls under the Office of the National Security Adviser, more so, as it is only Mr. President that has the prerogative right to appoint whosoever he deemed fit”.
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
