Niger Delta group faults Edwin Clark on open letter to NASS

Niger Delta Peoples Forum has faulted the open letter written by Chief Edwin Clark to Senate president Ahmed Lawan and House of Representatives Speaker Gbajabiamila.

In the open letter, published in several media, Clark requested that a “new investigative panel should be constituted to investigate both the Interim Management Committee (IMC) and members of National Assembly”.

Boma Ebiakpo, the national chairman of the forum, said Clark’s letter “is clearly a demeaning publicity stunt, in which an otherwise elderly statesman has made himself a tool to be used by those who seek the endorsement of illegality and seek to truncate our democracy, without any regard for the principle of separation of powers on which true federalism thrives.”

“Let it be known that the illogical views expressed by Chief Clark does not represent the Niger Delta people and well-meaning Nigerians in whatever capacity,” Ebiakpo said.

Ebiakpo said claims that IMC of NDDC is credible  are “fictional remarks.”

“This is no doubt the creative product of one who craves morsels from the tables of persons being investigated in the IMC,” he said.

“When men like Clark, in the twilight of their lives, should stand up for strict adherence to the law setting up NDDC which does not recognize IMC, as credible groups like PANDEF has done, he laboured to make light of the serious issues raised in the allegations of Corruption in the NDDC under the IMC.

Ebiakpo said Clark “chose to endorse a contraption not known to law and to defend the indefensible corruption that has taken place under the IMC as alleged.”

Several Niger Delta Groups, Communities and NGOs petitioned the National Assembly complaining about financial irregularities being carried out by the IMC of the NDDC.