Below are excerpts from
the open letter, dated October 26, 2015, by Chief Edwin Clark, replying former
Special Adviser on Media to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Reuben Abati,
and other critics over his recent comments on the former president.
ORDINARILY at my age and position in life, I should not have
to justify myself in a press controversy on my voluntary decision to quit
partisan politics particularly when this personal and well intended act has
come under unfair politicization of persons of mediocre temperament. For a
couple of days now, I have been more bemused than angry by the not-so-funny,
but, predictably, negative ingenuity of Nigerians, aided by an equally
incredulous media, to create unpleasant things out of nothing. It has been a
circus of those convinced that they have found a peg to hang their own,
disloyalty, failure, shallowness and hatred unto, a ball to kick around, over
my statement, not for the first time, that I was quitting partisan politics and
my statement about former President Goodluck Jonathan, for reasons so obvious
that I cannot understand what the orgy of self-flagellation is all about.
I still believe that former President Jonathan performed
creditably well in various areas. I am very proud of him and so are
millions of other Nigerians. He was good in so many areas, and did many good
things for this nation. He resuscitated the railway system that was comatose
for several decades; he engineered a robust economy for this nation; he fought
against Polio and Ebola; maternal and child health; he did much for the power
sector upon which President Muhammadu Buhari is now building; he tarred more
roads than any of his predecessors; he turned agriculture to agro-business, a
multibillion dollar business; he built the Almajiri schools in the Northern
parts of this country; he established new federal universities across this
nation; he allowed for free speech across this nation, and did not mind when he
was criticised or, even, abused; people were not arbitrarily locked up in jail
or prison, as he truly respected the rule of law; he signed the Freedom of
Information Bill into law, which was not done by his predecessors; he
modernised the aviation sector; he convoked a National Conference that brought
Nigerians together and proffered recommendations on how to better bind
Nigerians together as one; he sanitised the electoral system of this country, unlike
what we had before him, when elections results were announced without actually
voting, when ballot snatching were rampant and common place, he brought
transparency into the electoral process, when people could vote and the votes
actually openly counted without violence. Today he stands as the first
African president to concede an election to an opponent, even before the final
counts. There are many more achievements to his record, but because of time and
space let me end here for now. These are all lasting legacies that he has left
behind. He has certainly set a precedent for others to follow.
But no human being is perfect; only God is perfect.
Therefore, to mention an area of former President Jonathan’s inaction may not
be out of place. Every leader in this world has their fault. President Jonathan
cannot be an exception. As the late British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan
observed in his autobiography, politicians do not regret their mistakes because
they can always explain themselves; but they never forgive themselves for
opportunities they have lost. For instance, President Barrack Obama of United
States of America is frequently attacked for not having the political will to
deal with Israel over the Palestinian question.
This does not mean that he lacks the capacity to take action
against Israel effectively or to deal with the affairs of the United States of
America or that he lacks integrity. Several years ago, the entire Western world
was being accused of lacking political will to deal with Apartheid South
Africa. This did not mean any inaction of the Western countries by the rest of
the world. It only means that President Obama and the statesmen of the western
world had other considerations in their minds in the interest of their
countries.
In keeping with my character I cannot say in private what I
cannot say in the public. I do not therefore, reject or disown Jonathan
as my beloved political son.
My open support for former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
My support for President Goodluck Jonathan predates his
presidency. It dates back to the period when he was the Deputy Governor of
Bayelsa State. So for people who are thinking that I only knew Dr. Jonathan
when he became the President or that I was one of his hangers on, I think there
will be need to give them a little information. My relevance and leadership of
my people as an elder statesman and a critical stakeholder in this Nigeria
project far pre-dates Dr. Jonathan’s public life and presidency. I have been
relevant in politics and I have served my people honestly and creditably
well. I became very close to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan when he was Deputy
Governor of Bayelsa State. I was present in London when the late former
Governor of Bayelsa State, the Governor General of the Ijaw Nation, Chief D.S.P.
Alamieyeseigha (may his soul rest in perfect peace), was arrested in London on
the prompting of the Nigerian government under President Olusegun Obasanjo
because of his hatred for Chief Alamieyeseigha. I had to cancel my flight
to Nigeria at the London Airport when the news of the arrest of Chief
Alamieyeseigha was conveyed to me by Ambassador Pereware from Paris. I went
with a few well-meaning Nigerians to Essex where we had been informed that he
was kept, but could not find him. We went to a few other places before we were
able to locate where he was. I remained in London for one week with him to put
in place machineries for his bail. I recall the large-heartedness of Lady Ann
Iyoha who brought out the title deed of her property in London to secure his
bail and also the magnanimity of another woman from Amasoma, the home town of
Chief Alamiyeseigha in Bayelsa State.
When I returned to Nigeria, I went to Bayelsa State to meet
with stakeholders to see that a peaceful transition of power take place whereby
Dr. Jonathan who was the then Deputy Governor became the governor. Ambassador
Godknows Igali became the Secretary to the State Government.
Of course, I openly supported President Jonathan not only as
my son but also as the first person to emerge from the minorities of the Niger
Delta as the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. I had no choice but to support him and I have no regrets.
My support is total and unyielding. If most of President Jonathan’s close
associates and political leaders exhibited such support, by espousing all his
achievements, rather than the pretence and betrayal they were engaged in, the
story today would have been different.
It will be recalled that I had on several occasions openly criticised
the former President in the press and in my statements for actions or inactions
which were damaging to the President’s image while he was in office. When the
President failed to check the excesses of the Attorney-General and Minister of
Justice, which included his undue interference with the activities of the EFCC,
I did not fail to speak my mind openly in opposition to the President. When the
President did not deliver on his promise to complete the construction of the
East-West Road, I did not fail to speak my mind openly.
I even told him publicly that he should not leave the South
South people poorer than he met them. When the Governors Forum appeared to
arrogate to itself powers that infringed upon those of the President in the
Constitution of Nigeria with impunity, I did not fail to criticise. The press
conferences and open letters I wrote which were carried and published by the
various media houses are there to confirm this claim. However, with all these,
my support for him was and still is total and unshakeable.
My relationship with Jonathan was not based on material
gains
It is indeed most disingenuous to insinuate that my
relationship with former President Jonathan was based on what benefits accrued
to me. Far from the truth as I never benefited any material thing from
President Jonathan in all his six years of President. With all modesty, I am at
this age contented. I state publicly therefore, that I never sought nor
obtained any contract, oil block, oil lifting allocation or financial gratification
from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) during his years of
administration.
Similarly, I never solicited for appointments or special
placements for any of my children or relations in any government or private
concern on account of my relationship with President Jonathan. It is,
therefore, ludicrous and totally ill-motived for these wicked and mischievous
persons to sell to the public that my decision portends a plan to seek any
special favours from President Muhammadu Buhari and his government, or to
protect those gains which I acquired from President Jonathan’s government which
never existed.
On the contrary, my public service in this country which
spans over 60 years had given me the opportunity to seek the political, social
and economic development of my people and Nigeria in general. I remain
committed more than ever before to the economic, political and social
emancipation of the people of the Niger Delta, South South, the entire
minorities and the development and unity of this great nation. This was even
contained in the congratulatory letter which I wrote to President Muhammadu
Buhari, dated 3rd April, 2015.
My retirement from partisan politics
I am fast approaching 90 years and had been in active
politics for over 60 years. It came to me as a shock that misguided
persons are trying to lose their senses over my decision to quit active
partisan politics.
I was in the Niger Delta Congress (NDC), with the late sage
Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye and late His Excellency, Chief Melford Okilo between
1955 and 1959. I was in Mid West Front (MWF). I was in the National Congress
for Nigerian Citizens, NCNC. I was Secretary of the Zikist Vanguard, London in
1962. I served in General Yakubu Gowon’s cabinet as Minister of
Information with late General Murtala Mohammed as Minister of Commerce, General
Olusegun Obasanjo as Minister of Works, Alhaji Shehu Shagari as Minister of
Finance. Today, three of these persons have become Presidents of Nigeria. Apart
from Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the others are no longer in active politics.
I was a member of the National Party of Nigeria, NPN. I
recall with heavy heart that most of the people with whom I played politics are
either dead or have become politically inactive. Some of them are Makama Bida
of Niger State, Maitama Sule of Kano State, K. O. Mbadiwe of Imo State, Fani
Kayode, Tanko Yakassai, Dr. Ibrahim Tahil of Bauchi State, Adamu Ciroma of Yobe
State, Alhaji Ali Monguno of Borno State, A. M. A. Akinloye, T. O. S. Benson,
Dr. Okezie of Imo State, M. T. Mbu of Cross River State, His Royal Majesty the
Olubadan of Ibadan, just to mention a few. Not too long ago, I found myself
attending a PDP caucus meeting in Warri with young men who are grand children
of my political colleagues. Today, I sometimes move in a wheelchair. I had
intimated former President Jonathan that once the elections were over and he
was sworn into office for the second term, I will leave partisan politics and
retire to my village.
Thus, I recalled earlier receiving a request by a group with
the rather uplifting name of “Think Nigeria First Initiative” (TNFI), for a
courtesy call on me and to make me their Grand Patron. The name alone sent
sensations of kindred spirit through me and I readily accepted. I responded,
enthusiastically, naturally. It was in that context that I said that myself at
the age of nearly 89 years, and having carried my passions of similar ideals
with theirs for over 60 years, had decided that my energies needed a paradigm
restructuring. This same position I had declared at Akure, Ondo State, on the
24th of August, 2015, at the meeting of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly,
SNPA, of which, by God’s grace, I am one of the Leaders.
I wish to refer here to the crude and unpolished language
used by Dr. Reuben Abati against me that I would have still been a PDP
card-carrying member if former President Jonathan had won the election. I do
not know the background of Dr. Abati but for him to lie and devilishly imagine
that I should have remained a PDP card-carrying member if President Jonathan
won the election is satanic.
No reader of The Guardian Newspaper, particularly its Sunday
edition, will easily forget the frequently provocative columns by Dr. Reuben
Abati. As the Chairman of the Editorial Board of the newspaper and syndicated
columnist, Abati had a freehand to write whatever he liked in his column and
could also influence other news items. I do not recall any favourable
remark made by Abati all those years when he was the Chairman of the Editorial
Board and syndicated columnist about the former President His Excellency, Dr.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.
If I recall correctly, they were always the butt of ridicule
by Dr. Reuben Abati. In fact, he became so notorious and a fearless critic of
former President Jonathan and his wife in The Guardian Newspaper that I had to
draw the attention of my cousin, the proprietor of The Guardian Newspaper to
his excesses. These vitriolic attacks on former President Jonathan and his wife
only stopped when he was appointed the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity
by the former President.
On his appointment, Aso Rock activities and Jonathan’s
achievements were not sold to the people of Nigeria. Reuben Abati will recall
the number of times when I called his attention to how he was being negligent
of his duty as the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity by not defending
President Jonathan against some of the scurrilous attacks against him and also
by not promoting his image and the well-known achievements of his
administration. My advice that a Publicity Committee made up of eminent
journalists be put in place in Aso Rock and that media proprietors and senior
journalists should be invited to Aso Rock were jettisoned by Abati.
Dr. Reuben Abati has risen to the defence of his last
employer too late. He owes the former President apologies for his (Reuben
Abati’s) failure to perform while in office. I should not be used as a
scapegoat. I love Goodluck Jonathan and Goodluck Jonathan loves me.
I repeat again that I will like Dr. Abati to find out from
his former boss whether I did not intimate him of my intention that I will
leave active politics sometime in 2015 and return to my village after Dr.
Jonathan’s re-election as the President of Nigeria. It would be recalled that
only two weeks ago, the former PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur,
retired from partisan politics while celebrating his 80th Birthday. Although he
is much younger than me, Reuben Abati and his likes did not feel offended. I
repeat here again that I am very proud of my family background which has
produced some of the most illustrious Nigerians and that I do not shift ground
or change position. I still regard former President Jonathan as my son. Since
the change of government, we have been in close communication on the telephone
and Jonathan has visited me over four times.
When I pointed to the former President Jonathan that most of
those who surrounded him were not loyal, sincere or patriotic but mere
opportunists. It is, therefore, unfair and unjust for Reuben Abati and others
to accuse me for saying things against former President Jonathan while he is no
longer in office. It is even more shameful that Dr. Abati who claims to be a
cultured Yoruba man, a people who have great respect for elders, to go on this
wild macabre dance to insinuate and say outright lies against an elder
statesman of my age and standing. Unknown to him, more Nigerians know me as a
person of strong principles and ideals than he and his likes can imagine. This
is why their attacks on me have exposed them to more ridicules in the eyes of
most Nigerians, than they would have ever imagined.
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