By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
Elder stateman and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has refuted Chief Edwin Clark’s claim that he hates people of the Niger Delta.
He said this in an open letter in response to accusations by the Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Clark.
Clark had, last week Wednesday, flayed Obasanjo over what he described as a disappointing display of hatred and disdain against the people of the oil-producing states in Nigeria.
The former President had, in Abuja, attacked the National Secretary of the INC, Ebipamowei Wodu, at a peace and security parley, convened by the Global Peace Foundation and Vision Africa, claiming that the oil and gas in the Niger Delta belonged to all Nigerians irrespective of locality.
In response to Obasanjo’s outburst in an open letter to titled, ‘My Disappointment Over Your Unprovoked Outburst against the People of the Niger Delta Region’, Clark accused the former president of double standards over resource control in the country.
In Obasanjo’s letter dated December 28, 2021 and titled: My Response to the Open Letter by Clark’, he dispelled Clark’s allegation, saying: “I have never shown any anger, distraught with Niger Delta region nor any part of Nigeria.
“Some of the languages you have deployed to describe me in your letter are offensive, uncouth and I totally and completely reject them.
“I am not inconsistent, hypocritical, unstatesman, and nor am I anybody’s lackey.
“You use your own yardstick to judge others. I hope you think and adjust.
“Negotiation achieves better results than dictation. Revolution for sea-change may rarely happen and then we may continue to languish in frustration and regret with dire judgement in posterity,” Obasanjo warned.
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