Clark says Okowa betrayed South, government protests

Elder statesman and Federal Information Commissioner of the First Republic, Chief Edwin Clark, spoke harshly to Delta state governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Thursday, saying he would not succeed in his desire to nominate the next vice president of become the country.

Okowa is the running mate of People’s Democratic Party presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.

Clark made his position known in an open letter addressed to Okowa dated February 2, 2023, titled “Your Dictatorial Government and the Reign of Irresponsibility in Delta State,” which was made available to journalists in Abuja.

He called on the governor to apologize to his colleagues in both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party for his decision to serve as Atiku’s running mate.

Clark also authorized Okowa between now and May 29 to provide an account of the N250bn 13 percent derivatives fund he allegedly collected from the federal government, as revealed by River State Governor Nyesom Wike, or face a lawsuit .

He accused the governor of betraying governors from the southern part of the country by accepting to serve as Atiku’s running mate.

He said, “Today I say with certainty that you are more dictatorial than any other military administrator who has governed Delta State since its inception in 1991.

“I can therefore understand why you have deliberately and immorally betrayed your colleagues of Southern Nigeria and the people for your selfish ambition of wanting to land on safer ground by accepting to serve as Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s running mate.

‘No, by God’s grace your prayer will not be answered. Perhaps you have forgotten the seriousness of the offense you committed against the people of Southern Nigeria.”

While regretting Okowa’s acceptance to be Atiku’s running mate, the elder statesman also accused him of directing all Delta State delegates not to vote for Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State or Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, but instead voting for Atiku in last year’s PDP presidential primaries.

“However, the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum has decided to oppose your joint candidacy with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and we will continue to do so until election day,” he added.

Okowa responds

Meanwhile, Okowa, through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olise Ifeajika, said in an interview with The PUNCH that Clark cannot take the place of God.

He said, “If Clark thinks he can take God’s place, we’ll know whose prayer God will answer.

“Is Clark still in the PDP? What was his role when the PDP decided to throw open the presidential ticket?

“The PDP in its wisdom said it won’t go anywhere, according to the Ortom-led committee, which is why Peter Obi left the party because Obi thought the ticket would go south-east.

“By God’s grace, Atiku/Okowa will be in government on May 29, 2023. Okowa has never betrayed anyone, he sticks to the party’s decision to flip the ticket.”

On 13% diversion, he said that the State Finance Commissioner, Mr. Fidelis Tilije, had previously explained how the state government spends every Kobo that is due to the state.

He said the Gov. Okowa-led government had been transparent about the state’s finances.