By High Chief Ighofose Okijirhie
Elderstatesman Edwin Clark had bestridden the political firmament of the state and Nigeria for more than five decades now.
Unfortunately, the exclusive club of supermen that he belong to, are responsible for the woes that are stalling our progress as a nation.
The not well thought out policies of state seizure of schools from private owners in 1973, indigenisation drive that sent foreign investors to close their investments in the year 77, promotion of political considerations above economics in project conceptualisation and execution and many more faux pas landed us as a nation in the pitiable state where we are now.
In a society where people are held accountable for their misdeeds, names like Clark would have been taken out of our lexicon as the names Hitler, Anthoniette, Napoleon etc were taken out of German and France lexicon.
Our undue respect for status and deference to our gerontocratic tradition have continued to shield people who should be pariah from their deserved fate.
It is not yet time to break with tradition, so I shall, like the constrained lot in my generation, restrain myself from being too critical of his person but limit myself to the merit or otherwise of his message.
I expect Elder Clark to be very objective and rise above petty partisanship in the rare class, age has put him in society. Rather , he has consistently chosen to do otherwise in his posturings.
In the senatorial contest in Delta south senatorial district, one would have expected Elder Clark to counsel his son, Senator James Manager of PDP to abandon his ambition for aspirants from either Isoko or Itsekiri nationalities if he truly believe in zoning.
“Saint” Clark demonstrably revealed to all by his indifference to arguments of zoning in the Delta south senatorial primary of PDP that zoning is only a conspiracy theory that is available in the play book of PDP that they could latch onto on account of the unblemished record and intimidating good will of Great Ogboru who they acknowledge their under dog candidate cannot match. There is no other way to rationalize Clark’s defiant silence on the argument of zoning by Itsekiri and or Isoko nationalities that an Ijaw man having occupied the senate seat for four consecutive terms, equity dictate that it should be voluntarily surrendered to either Itsekiri or Isoko. “Saint E.K Clark” and those he is in cahoot with highlighted the importance of the choice of the delegates in their preference for senator Manager who is securing the ticket for the fifth time. On that occasion , Clark and his men labeled those who were bandying zoning as lazy and incompetent people.
An argument that is very rational and plausible that Deltans expect Clark and his deceptive band of followers to extend to the gubernatorial race in the state.
But in the world of Clark , what matters is his narrow interest as illustrated by his rational posturing that zoning is not a factor in choosing the PDP candidate in the senatorial race in defiance of the clamour by Isoko, Itsekiri and Urhobo neighbours who wanted to have a shot at the Delta south senatorial seat on the strength of a non existing agreement on zoning .
So is that hypocrisy or what!. That is the strange statesmanship which people like Clark are notorious for.
If any party which fielded candidate for the election in violation of zoning of PDP is wasting time according to Clark, it follows that senator Manager who Clark is investing his time and energy on is also wasting his time.
Chief Clark know very well that zoning does not exist even in PDP as an entity much more the larger political space of Delta where several parties are at liberty to fashion out their winning formula. The truth of the matter is that in Delta State , majority of the electorate have decided to place competence and vision above unproductive zoning sentiments. If sentiments of tribal loyalty were as important as performance and competence, Nigerians will not be migrating in droves to Europe and America to enjoy the benefit of good governance by people they owe no tribal allegiance to in rejection of the mis-governance of their kinsmen whose only dream is to keep them in perpetual slavery . What else are you looking for that there is nothing in tribal sentiments! Deltans beware of self serving counsel from the likes of E K Clark who do not wish society good. The lessons of their bad policy which denied Warri and other cities of realising their destiny as hubs of technical education in the 70s should not be lost on Deltans. But for the ill conceived policy, many of the adversely affected cities would have been internationally recognized centres of production/manufacturing in the fields of electronic and auto engineering by now.
For the inconsequential minority who value little handouts from incompetent governors, I on behalf of the overwhelming majority of Deltans, say it loud and clear that Deltans value good governance above every other consideration. Therefore, we shall give our verdict in 2019 by voting for Great Ogboru as the governor of Delta State to give lie to the conspiracy theory of zoning once and for all.
Indeed , the government of Great Ogboru that our votes will midwife in 2019, will be celebrated in Delta State and beyond on account of sterling achievements that will be accomplished within record time.
Let us vote Ogboru as the governor of our dear state in 2019 irrespective of party leanings.
High chief Ighofose Okijirhie is a believer of good governance and member of Millienum club for transparent and accountable government with headquarters in Warri.
