Dialogue: Ijaw elders say they don’t trust Clark

The proposed dialogue between Niger Delta militants and the Federal Government has suffered another setback, as the Delta State Forum of Ijaw Elders, under the auspices of Izon Okosu-Oku (Izon Council of Elders), Tuesday, distanced itself from the Chief Edwin Clark led Niger Delta peace negotiation team on behalf of the Niger Delta militants.

The elders, who said Chief Clark could not be trusted, condemned him for his silence during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan on the development of the the Niger Delta.

According to a statement issued on behalf of the elders by their chairman, Chief Bare Etolor, on behalf of Ijaw elders, those fronting as the current peace ambassadors failed to understand that the development of the region was a continuous one, adding that it was against the choice of Clark as the leader of the negotiation team because he cannot be trusted.

The elders forum also warned that military approach would not resolve the renewed hostilities in the region, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately withdraw his troops, as they would rather escalate the crisis.

Read also: Edo: PDP, commissioner argue over who owns arrested militant leader

The statement reads in part: “The militants should have known that the inclusion of the ex-Minister of Information in the matter may stop, delay or bring negative results to the Niger Delta region.

“President Buhari’s strong principles, integrity and courage cannot allow him to meet with any group led by Chief Clark, who claims to be the father of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Those elders in the region who are struggling to represent the militants for negotiation with the Federal Government are laughable. Sadly, they did not remember that the Niger Delta development is a continuous task that must be done by every government, including former President Jonathan’s tenure.”

The elders however called on the militants to nominate new leaders that do not have any political leaning, foreigners and human rights groups that will negotiate on their behalf.

On the silence of Chief Clark during the Jonathan presidency, the Ijaw elders said: “He cannot suddenly wake up less than 18 months into the new regime to convince President Buhari to start immediate development of the region.”

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews ….

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