Deltan Live Matters, a political pressure group, Friday, told Chief E.K Clark and PANDEF to focus on things that would promote unity among the various ethnic groups in the region rather than trying to instigate an inter-ethnic crisis.
The group in a statement by its Global Coordinator, Mr Christian Moses Abeh, said: “Reading the Press Statement from PANDEF one will think that the respected body is at war with Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the Delta state Governor.
“Every statement emanating from the Governor or his media aides had one common thread: they are unwilling to join issues with PA E.K Clark.
“It was necessary, however, to note and advise that Clark ought at his age to be a unifier and not one to destabilise a system. Governor Okowa has been on the saddle as Governor for nearly eight years. Not for once did he disparage EK Clark.
“In every election contested by Dr Okowa, he had always consulted PA Clark. As Governor of Delta state and Vice Presidential candidate of the Party, Okowa expects prayers and encouragement from Clark and not vituperation, especially when they are not founded on truth but on rumours and hearsay.
“Dr Okowa’s Commissioner for information and indeed his media aides will not sit back and watch their Principal being viciously attacked few weeks to the Presidential election without correcting erroneous information being peddled in the social media.
“One truth bears repeating: E.K Clark only reproduced a SAHARA REPORTERS media hype published five years ago. The content lacked originality and a school of thought even believe that the publication was spoken into Clark’s mouth. The style was not of vintage Clark and the number of typographical errors and errors in tenses makes it even more suspicious as a hatchet job coming from a lackey. Until E.K Clark refutes the content of the open letter, one is bound to believe that it came from the stable of hirelings.
“The roles played by E.K Clark in stabilizing the Nigerian polity is not new to us. His exploits as Commissioner in the defunct Bendel state, as well as Minister for information, are documented and well-known to us. However, at a time E.K Clark is expected to play the role of National statesman he ventures into partisan Politics and adopts another Presidential candidate in place of his own Political son.
“Pa Clark’s action smacks of betrayal of the South-South camaraderie which he seems to champion. When an elder does wrong it is his children and not strangers that should correct him. Yet, PANDEF tries to wear the garb of infallibility on Chief Clark and therefore unwittingly drive him on the path of self-destruction.
“Let it be known that PANDEF does not love Clark more than Okowa does neither do they show Clark more reverence than Dr Okowa. If their intention is to pitch Dr Okowa against E.K Clark, then their plot has failed because Okowa respects his elders and would not war with them.
“One thing that clearly marks Okowa apart is that he has unified Delta state better than he met it. The Itsekiris, Ijaws, Urhobos, Isokos and the Anioma people are now better living in peace together. Dr Okowa achieved this feat by even distribution of resources, projects and amenities to the different ethnic Nationalities that make up the state.
“The message to Clark was therefore unambiguous: do not tamper with the peace and unity bought at great price in Delta State. Try to maintain the existing unity rather than instigating one tribe against another. If that is what PANDEF calls an insult then I wonder what dictionary they are using.
“It was Stanley Nbulu who said ‘When you condemn another without enquiry, you will be condemned without trial’.
“Enough of this vilification of Governor Okowa by people who are supposed to unify the entire Niger-Delta region to support their own son to become a Vice President, then choosing the ignoble path because of their personal interests.
“PANDEF should focus on things that will promote unity among the various ethnic groups in the region rather than trying to instigate an inter-ethnic crisis.
“Governor Okowa is the only person from the Niger-Delta region that is on the presidential ticket of the three leading political parties; meaning he is the representative of the two most marginalized regions of the South-South and South-East.
“We all should rally around and give his party, the PDP maximum support to succeed for the development of our region and to the benefit of our people.
“The Atiku/Okowa project is divine, they are the only people that can rescue Nigeria at this critical time, let us give all the necessary support needed for the sake of our children and generation unborn”.
VANGUARD
