Edwin Clark Lends Support To Buhari’s Anti-Corruption Crusade, Says….Deal with corrupt politicians or else, they’ll sink the country
Adetokunbo Fakeye
A front line Niger Delta leader and former Information Minister, Chief Edwin Clark, has lend his support to President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade, especially in the recovery of about $150 billion oil money stocked away in foreign banks.
According to the elder statesman, who stated this in a six-page letter he wrote to President Buhari and made available to journalists in Abuja on Thursday noted that corruption, which has eaten deep into the nation’s system, had slowed down Nigeria’s progress over the years and the culprits if not severally dealt with, will sink the country.
Clark, a known staunch supporter of immediate past president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan also warned that if President Muhammadu Buhari fails to deal severely with those who ruined Nigeria over the years, Nigeria as a country would sink.
He said: “The economy of the country and the eradication of corruption which has become systematic and endemic that has stagnated the progress of this country over the years and the culprit if not severely dealt with will sink the country. We, therefore, pray the Almighty God that these discussions will materialise and achieve the desired result.
“Secondly, I now respectfully wish to bring to the attention of Mr. President the imminent danger facing the Amnesty programme. It would be recalled, that the former chairman of Amnesty programme and Adviser to Mr. President on Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Kingsley Kuku has since vacated his office as a result of change of government, but unfortunately, he has not been replaced by an appointee even in acting capacity by Mr. President, and as a result, the whole programme for now, is without leadership, and no one has the authority to operate the account of the Amnesty programme”.
The elder statesman in the letter also urged President Buhari to as a matter of urgency appoint a new Chairman for the Amnesty Programme as a replacement for the immediate past Chairman of the programme, Kingsley Kuku, adding that he would be a sad man if the Amnesty programme fails.
He added that Buhari should know what it means to Nigeria as a country to have peace in the Niger Delta, while stressing that even an acting chairman would help stop the imminent disintegration of the programme that has kept the peace in the Niger Delta.
The former Information minister and Ijaw leader while congratulating Mr President on his successful trip to the United States and his safe arrival to the country, called on Nigerians to put the outcome of the 2015 general elections behind them and support the President in his fight against corruption.
