Politics

2023: Clark Lambasts Southern Presidential Aspirants, Says ‘It’s Madness’ To Have Many

Published

3 years ago

May 6, 2022

Editor

…says Southern politicians shouldn’t accept VP slot

Elder statesman and leader of Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark, raised concern over the growing number of presidential aspirants from Southern Nigeria, describing it as madness and unrealistic.

According to him, most of the aspirants from the South that have declared interest to contest the presidential seat in 2023 were playing double games.

Saturday PUNCH reported that presidential aspirants from the South who have either declared interest or obtained forms were Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi; former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha; Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajuiba; former Governor of Lagos State and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu; and the only female aspirant, Uju Kennedy.

Others were Pastor Tunde Bakare; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; Minister of Labour and productivity, Chris Ngige; Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu; Ihechukwu China; former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun; and former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole.

Others included the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole.

Clark, in an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, said it was not a normal situation.

He said, “It is madness. If I’m to be realistic, they are not serious; particularly the Southerners from the South-West and the South-South. There are some people that have gone to be bottle bags to play double games. So, when it comes to where we say no, some people would come out to say yes we are contesting. So they know why some of them are there.”

Clark, who would be 95 years old on May 25, wondered where aspirants from the ruling APC were getting N100 million to pay for the forms considering the level of hunger in the country.

“You have everybody in Nigeria where there is hunger, where there is lack of employment, where there is kidnapping going on every day, where children cannot go to school, where the economy is going down, these people were able to mobilise N100 million to pick forms.

“So, if these governors and ministers use their salaries, I don’t think they have it because they must eat in their houses, so also the governors. But they went back telling Nigerians that their friends contributed money for them,” he said.

Clark expressed shock that Oshiomhole recently declared to contest the presidential seat when it was known to all that he was supporting Tinubu.

The nonagenarian said he was also surprised that Amosun also declared for President in spite of the fact that Osinbajo was from his state and he’s also in the race.

He added, “So you come back to the South-South, Nyesom Wike wants to be President of Nigeria, Rotimi Amaechi wants to be President of Nigeria, both of them are in small Ikwere. You can imagine what is going on.

“I understand Timipre Sylvia would soon declare. Meanwhile, people are asking me questions about Goodluck Jonathan and they are in the same Senatorial zone in Bayelsa State. So they know what they are doing.

“And for the Igbos, some of them, I encouraged them to come out. Even if it’s zoned to the South-East, the whole of Nigeria will vote for them, and would take part in the primary.”

Speaking on the issue of zoning, Clark stressed that they had warned Southern politicians not to accept running mate positions if the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party refuse to zone the Presidency to the South.

He said, “We strongly warn our politicians, former governors, ministers, senators and so forth not to accept a running mate position from any northern candidate because they cannot do without us and we cannot do without them.

“That will show how serious we are and anybody who offers himself as a running mate will be regarded as the most unpatriotic and a man who has sold his own side of the country and not worthy of being respected and honoured.”

Related Topics:APC Presidential Aspirants

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Politics

Court Declines Kachikwu’s Motion Against INEC, ADC Leaders

Published

9 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday declined to hear an application filed by the African Democratic Congress’ 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, against the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the party.

Justice James Omotosho, in a ruling, refused to entertain the motion.

Kachikwu, through his counsel, Dayo Akinlaja (SAN), had sought an order compelling INEC to withdraw the publication of Mark and Rauf Aregbesola’s names as national chairman and secretary of the ADC, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

INEC had recently recognised Mark, a former Senate President, and Aregbesola, a former Governor of Osun State, as the party’s national chairman and national secretary.

On July 7, Kachikwu and four others – Adikwu Elias, Etimbuk Umoh, Muhammed Khala, and Alaku Godwin William – filed an originating summons challenging the recognition of the duo.

The suit lists INEC, ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola as the first to fifth defendants.

When the matter was called on Friday, Akinlaja told the court that a motion dated September 19 had been filed. He argued that despite the pendency of the suit, INEC went ahead to recognise Mark and Aregbesola as party leaders.

The plaintiffs asked the court to set aside the recognition and publication of their names, describing it as a breach of the doctrine of lis pendens. They also sought an injunction restraining Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola from further relating with INEC as ADC’s national officers.

However, counsel for the ADC, Shaibu Aruwa (SAN), along with other defence lawyers, opposed the application.

After hearing arguments, Justice Omotosho declined to entertain the motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025.

He said, “This court is not inclined to nullify anything at this stage, whether done before or now. This is a political case. I am not taking any interlocutory matter.”

The judge held that all processes filed by the parties, including preliminary objections, would be taken together with the substantive case.

Despite repeated pleas by Akinlaja for the motion to be heard, the court stood its ground.

Justice Omotosho also granted an application for joinder filed by Nkemakolam Ukandu, the ADC deputy national secretary, and ordered that his name be added as a defendant.

He directed the plaintiffs to file the amended processes within 48 working hours and gave the defence seven days to respond. The case was adjourned till October 23 for hearing.

Politics

Fubara Sacks Commissioners, Others

Published

2 days ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has sacked all commissioners and other public office holders serving in his administration.

The decision, according to a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday evening by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, takes immediate effect and followed the recent Supreme Court judgment.

The governor, during a valedictory session with his cabinet to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary at Government House, Port Harcourt, thanked the outgoing officials for their services and contributions to the state’s development over the past two years.

The statement read in part, “Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has thanked members of his cabinet for their services and contributions to the development of the state in the last two years.

“The governor highlighted the significance of Nigeria’s Independence, and called on all Nigerians to work together with Mr President to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous country and a brighter future for all.

“Furthermore, the Governor has relieved all Commissioners and other public officers affected by the recent Supreme Court judgment of their appointments with immediate effect.”

Fubara also reiterated his commitment to serve the state “with renewed vigour,” while expressing gratitude to Rivers people for their support and wishing Nigerians a happy Independence anniversary.

Recall that the immediate past administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), upon assumption of office during the emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu, suspended all commissioners, special advisers, and assistants appointed by Fubara. Ibas also dissolved boards and suspended heads of parastatals he met in office.

Since Ibas exited the state on September 18, the fate of Fubara’s appointees had remained uncertain. The Rivers State House of Assembly, at its first sitting after the lifting of the emergency rule, had called on the governor to submit a fresh list of commissioner-nominees for screening, alongside the 2025 budget for passage.

Politics

2027: Crisis Rocks Kaduna ADC Over Power Tussle

Published

2 days ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

The Kaduna State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is enmeshed in crisis as a fierce power struggle among leading figures threatens the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.

ADC stalwart, Malam Salihu Lukman, raised the alarm on Wednesday, warning that the party may not make a meaningful impact at the polls if the internal rift persists.

In a statement, Lukman alleged that some party leaders have aligned with certain aspiring candidates for the 2027 elections to the exclusion of others.

He called on former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Malam Jaafaru Sani, Alhaji Bashir Saidu, and other opposition leaders in the state to halt what he described as “the madness” of candidates bent on hijacking party structures.

According to him, “anybody who is not ready to work as part of a united opposition in Kaduna State is consciously or unconsciously working for the APC.”

Expressing concern over the infighting, Lukman said his efforts to mediate had largely failed.

“The fact that Senator Musa Bello is aggressively seeking to control structures of ADC in Zone 2 is a reflection of my failure, largely because I am associated with him.

“Senator Lawal Adamu (Mr. La) has avoided all my requests to meet him. I have met Malam Jaafaru Sani on this matter and had discussions with Malam Nasir. Sadly, we are not united, and the perception is that I am part of the problem.”

Lukman stressed that he has no political ambition but remains committed to building a united front. “As a citizen from Kaduna State, I am willing to make every necessary sacrifice to move our state forward. Without sounding immodest, I made every sacrifice to contribute to forming the coalition and negotiating the agreement with ADC.

“May I therefore appeal to Malam Nasir and all our leaders to please seek to unite us. It is only if we are united in ADC that we can unite our people in the state to defeat the APC in 2027. We must bear in mind that it is not just about defeating APC but about producing a government controlled by our party based on collective leadership.

“We need to put an end to the era when we produce emperors as governors. Anything short of a government managed by collective leadership under ADC will be unacceptable.”