Edwin Clark: I Don’t Believe Nigeria Should Break Up — Let’s Restructure

*Cautions Igboho, Others, Says Nigeria Will
Remain One

Chief Edwin Clark, elder statesman and leader of Niger Delta on
Saturday told those agitating for breakup of the country that they
are on the wrong path as Nigeria will remain as one country now and
in the future.

Clark spoke in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria as
agitations for the breakup of Nigeria, especially continue in some
parts of the country.

Significantly, agitators for creation of Yoruba Nation out of
Nigeria had on Saturday grounded socio-economic activities in
Osogbo, Osun State on Saturday as they staged massive protest to
back up their demand.

The agitators, mostly made up of youths under the aegis of Omo
Oduduwa United led by Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday
Igboho, had converged in Osogbo on Saturday, marching through the
streets in agitation for a Yoruba Nation.

Also, recent killings of security operatives, security
facilities and buildings of government’s agencies in the Southeast
and South- south are believed to be linked agitations for the
creation of Biafra Republic out of Nigeria as being championed by
Nnamdi Kanu led Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB.

Clark however told NAN in Abuja that he did not believe in
Nigeria’s breakup in spite of rising insecurity and economic
challenges in the country.

According to him, rather than fan the embers of war by making
cessation calls, workable strategies should be evolved to solve the
problem of insecurity and other challenges making life unbearable
for Nigerians.

Clark said, “Nigeria will remain one. Some of us do not believe
in the call for secession. Where do we go to, who are we leaving
the country for, who owns it.

“We cannot flee, where do we go. Though I am seeing this danger
but I do not believe that Nigeria will split.

“Recently 17 Southern governors met and they also agreed that
Nigeria will remain one. They are not just PDP but also APC
governors.

“Even during the civil war in 1967, we never believed Nigeria
would break up and the war eventually ended in 1970.

“That was the nearest we got to breaking up but Nigeria did not
break up,” he said.

Clark advocated for restructuring rather than break up of the
country.

He referred to reports of the 2014 National Conference and the
committee headed by Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, saying
the recommendations would go a long way.

He said, “all we are saying is that we should restructure the
country. Let us devolve power to the states. They should be the
federating units.

“We should refer to the 2014 National Conference report of over
600 recommendations. We do not need to convoke another confab.

“The confab report in addition to what APC produced under Gov.
Nasir El-rufai’s committee are enough to create a true federal
system of government in Nigeria.”

Clark stressed that unless Nigeria returned to a federal system
of government, as obtained in 1963, the restructuring process would
not be complete.

“Let us have a federal system of government as we had in 1963.
Once that is done, there will be peace in Nigeria. With that, every
region will have a State Police.

“So, the only cure to the problem of insecurity in Nigeria is to
return to the 1963 Constitution with a few amendments.”

Clark further said, “I have been in politics for about 70 years
in this country and I have seen it all.

“In 1960, there was the Independent Constitution, drawn up in
Britain by the Whites and Nigerians.

“They agreed that this country has more than 250 ethnic
nationalities, therefore a unitary form of government will not work
and that there should be a federation which we had.

“The 1960 constitution made it that every region had its own
constitution and develop at their own pace and keep half of what is
developed in their area.

“That was why Obafemi Awolowo was able to develop the West
because we had the cocoa boom at the time. The price of cocoa was
very high in the international market.

“So he was able to introduce free primary education which other
regions could not do at the time.”

He blamed the military for the present economic and security
challenges faced by Nigerians, saying the military changed into a
unitary form of government.

“Aguiyi Ironsi changed this country into a unitary
government.

“It continued until the Army handed over in 1999 and they left
behind a unitary form of constitution.

“That is why we are facing so much problem as a nation and that
is why we are calling for restructuring,” Clark said.

On attacks on schools, Clark called for provision of security in
and around schools through the building of fences and adequate
surveillance.

He said that it might not be possible to guard all schools with
the few number of security men in the country.

He advised that vigilantes could be employed to provide the
Police with necessary information in the case of attempted
attacks.

He, however, kicked against mounting surveillance cameras in
schools, saying, “it will not work unless the people are ready to
prevent kidnapping and other forms of attacks in schools.

“Even if we mount CCTVs they will be compromised as has happened
on different occasions in some parts of the country.

*Cautions Igboho, Others, Says Nigeria Will
Remain One

Chief Edwin Clark, elder statesman and leader of Niger Delta on
Saturday told those agitating for breakup of the country that they
are on the wrong path as Nigeria will remain as one country now and
in the future.

Clark spoke in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria as
agitations for the breakup of Nigeria, especially continue in some
parts of the country.

Significantly, agitators for creation of Yoruba Nation out of
Nigeria had on Saturday grounded socio-economic activities in
Osogbo, Osun State on Saturday as they staged massive protest to
back up their demand.

The agitators, mostly made up of youths under the aegis of Omo
Oduduwa United led by Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday
Igboho, had converged in Osogbo on Saturday, marching through the
streets in agitation for a Yoruba Nation.

Also, recent killings of security operatives, security
facilities and buildings of government’s agencies in the Southeast
and South- south are believed to be linked agitations for the
creation of Biafra Republic out of Nigeria as being championed by
Nnamdi Kanu led Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB.

Clark however told NAN in Abuja that he did not believe in
Nigeria’s breakup in spite of rising insecurity and economic
challenges in the country.

According to him, rather than fan the embers of war by making
cessation calls, workable strategies should be evolved to solve the
problem of insecurity and other challenges making life unbearable
for Nigerians.

Clark said, “Nigeria will remain one. Some of us do not believe
in the call for secession. Where do we go to, who are we leaving
the country for, who owns it.

“We cannot flee, where do we go. Though I am seeing this danger
but I do not believe that Nigeria will split.

“Recently 17 Southern governors met and they also agreed that
Nigeria will remain one. They are not just PDP but also APC
governors.

“Even during the civil war in 1967, we never believed Nigeria
would break up and the war eventually ended in 1970.

“That was the nearest we got to breaking up but Nigeria did not
break up,” he said.

Clark advocated for restructuring rather than break up of the
country.

He referred to reports of the 2014 National Conference and the
committee headed by Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, saying
the recommendations would go a long way.

He said, “all we are saying is that we should restructure the
country. Let us devolve power to the states. They should be the
federating units.

“We should refer to the 2014 National Conference report of over
600 recommendations. We do not need to convoke another confab.

“The confab report in addition to what APC produced under Gov.
Nasir El-rufai’s committee are enough to create a true federal
system of government in Nigeria.”

Clark stressed that unless Nigeria returned to a federal system
of government, as obtained in 1963, the restructuring process would
not be complete.

“Let us have a federal system of government as we had in 1963.
Once that is done, there will be peace in Nigeria. With that, every
region will have a State Police.

“So, the only cure to the problem of insecurity in Nigeria is to
return to the 1963 Constitution with a few amendments.”

Clark further said, “I have been in politics for about 70 years
in this country and I have seen it all.

“In 1960, there was the Independent Constitution, drawn up in
Britain by the Whites and Nigerians.

“They agreed that this country has more than 250 ethnic
nationalities, therefore a unitary form of government will not work
and that there should be a federation which we had.

“The 1960 constitution made it that every region had its own
constitution and develop at their own pace and keep half of what is
developed in their area.

“That was why Obafemi Awolowo was able to develop the West
because we had the cocoa boom at the time. The price of cocoa was
very high in the international market.

“So he was able to introduce free primary education which other
regions could not do at the time.”

He blamed the military for the present economic and security
challenges faced by Nigerians, saying the military changed into a
unitary form of government.

“Aguiyi Ironsi changed this country into a unitary
government.

“It continued until the Army handed over in 1999 and they left
behind a unitary form of constitution.

“That is why we are facing so much problem as a nation and that
is why we are calling for restructuring,” Clark said.

On attacks on schools, Clark called for provision of security in
and around schools through the building of fences and adequate
surveillance.

He said that it might not be possible to guard all schools with
the few number of security men in the country.

He advised that vigilantes could be employed to provide the
Police with necessary information in the case of attempted
attacks.

He, however, kicked against mounting surveillance cameras in
schools, saying, “it will not work unless the people are ready to
prevent kidnapping and other forms of attacks in schools.

“Even if we mount CCTVs they will be compromised as has happened
on different occasions in some parts of the country.