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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Clark, Delta official disagree over origin of Warri militias
From Chido Okafor, Warri
FORMER Minister of Information and prominent Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, yesterday in Kiagbodo his country home, said the alleged claim by Delta State Commissioner for Ethnic Relations and Conflict Resolution, Mr. Ovuzourie Macaulay, that the majority of the militias who fought in the state were from Bayelsa and Rivers states was capable of threatening the peace agreement in Warri.
But the commissioner denied making such a statement, alleging that Clark was being "misled by misguided elements" who do not want peace in Delta State.
Clark on Wednesday told reporters that it came to him and other Ijaw of Delta State as a shock and dismay that the commissioner in a statement said "some of the boys causing mayhem in Warri were from Rivers and Bayelsa states."
He said: "I could hardly believe that such perverse, outrageous and biased comments were made by a public servant who has sworn to defend the interest of all Deltans and who is paid by the state."
The former minister alleged that Macaulay instigated the security agents in the state against him and other Ijaw leaders who opposed the Ijaw/Itsekiri peace Committee.
He also claimed that the commissioner lied that he was involved in the nomination of Ijaw representatives to the committee.
However, Macaulay told The Guardian that he respected Chief Clark and would not want to join issues with him.
Macaulay said the state government was rehabilitating many of the Ijaw militants.
He wondered why Clark withdrew his mandate from the peace accord in April if he was not involved in the first place.
But Clark said Macaulay "threw caution and discretion to the wind when he stated that Ijaw youths from Rivers and Bayelsa states are occupying Itsekiri houses in Warri waterside."
According to him, the Ijaw youths allegedly driven from their homes in Warri by the Itsekiri were forced to abandon their houses to occupy vacant ones and warehouses at the waterfront most of which belong to UAC, John Holt, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Miller.
He said the boys known as Meinbutu were from Burutu, Bomadi and Patani, wondering why Macaulay should say they were from Rivers and Bayelsa.
Clark said the Ijaws had earlier decided that there should be peace in Warri but not the type of peace being orchestrated by Macaulay and his agents, adding that the commissioner should stop parading himself as a peace agent in Warri.
Meanwhile, Clark has described the recent disagreement among governors of six states of the South-South zone over some national issues affecting them as embarrassing and sad.
He said they should bury their hatchet in order to face the 19 Northern governors and two of their South-West counterparts who filed a suit against the Federal Government and the littoral states of the South-South.
He said the governors ought to amicably resolve issues at a round-table conference for the sake of the zone instead of fighting one another.
Clark said recent events showed that the erstwhile "solid house" (South-South zone) was shaky and falling apart to the pleasure of "our detractors."
He said the regular South-South governors' meetings which were held from state to state, were no longer frequent, especially after the last general elections.
His words: "The last one (meeting) held in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State showed that all was not well.
"The replacement of the late Dikibo openly fired another shot of disunity. Apparently all the governors could not agree on a candidate. The matter is yet to be amicably resolved."
The former minister said the first signs of disunity was when certain governors began to make contradictory claims on who did what to ensure the signing into law of the Onshore-Offshore dichotomy bill by Mr. President, and passed by the National Assembly.
"In the their claims and counter-claims, they also over-looked and failed to show appreciation of the role played by others, particularly the general public of the South-South zone," Clark said.
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