Elder Statesman from the South South region, Chief Edwin CLark has stated that it is mandatory and not negotiable for President Goodluck Jonathan to rule Nigeria for another term.
He said the problem of the Niger Delta militancy started when youths from the region went to Abuja and saw bridges on land whereas in their own communities, there were no bridges linking communities separated by water.
Clark spoke on Sunday at the 2014 induction/inauguration of the board of Trustees (BoT) of the South-South elders, chiefs and leaders.
“I think one of the problems facing us in this country is the issue of settler and indigene. In this country nobody is superior to the other.
“Abuja does not belong to anybody, it belongs to all of us. The money used to develop Abuja came from South-South. Because we are Nigerians, we accepted.
“Nobody owns it more than the other. Anybody is entitled to contest for any election in Abuja. Nobody owns this place.
“The problem with the militants started in 1998. Somebody invited the South-South youths to Abuja and they saw bridges built on land whereas in their waters there are no bridges. They went back and started the militancy.
“Don’t exclude us from the scheme of things, Nigeria belongs to all of us, don’t practice double standard.
“In 1983 we voted en mass for Shagari and he stayed for eight years, it was Buhari who removed him.
“In 1999, they said because of what they did to (Moshood) Abiola, they said they should compensate the South West and Obasanjo was brought out from Yola Prisons and he was only having N20,000 in his account and today he is one of the richest men in Nigeria. And today he is claiming to be innocent.
“We cannot continue to feed this country and we are not ruling the country. When Obasanjo wanted Yar’Adua to become the President he blackmailed everybody.
“Many of the Northerners came to me to say that Jonathan should step down and allow the North to finish their four year-term and I told them you are not well.
“People thought that we from South-South are second class citizens and we say no. When we reply critics, they say we are enemies of Jonathan,” Clark said.
On the issue of security, former Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Felix Oguado, called on the Northern elders to copy from South-South elders, how they were able to convince the militants in the Niger Delta to drop their arms.
“If the elders in the Niger Delta can go to the creek and speak to the militants and they drop their arms, why can’t the elders of the North do same?
“We should stop blaming the government and do something. It is not the best to apportion blame on the government each time something happened. People talk of sharing the cake, but they never talk of how the cake is baked.
“Our foremost challenge now is Boko Haram. Nigeria is a difficult country to govern. No matter who rules there will always be criticism.
“Like the President said, you cannot dialogue with faceless people. The militants were brought to Abuja and they met with President Yar’Adua,” Oguado said.