FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday described as most uncharitable comments by former Inspector- General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Coomassie that the removal of Suleiman Abba as Inspector General of Police was suspicious.
E. K. Clark
According to Chief Clark, Coomassie’s statements were ethnically driven and designed to incite the North against President Goodluck Jonathan, just as he stressed that elections have come and gone and winners and those who lost should shelve their differences and work together for the overall interest and well-being of the country and called on Nigerians to jettison all divisive tendencies for the unity of the country.
He said adding, “For unity to be sustained, equity, justice, fairness and trust are the sacrosanct ingredients to cement our co-existence. We must be our neighbour’s keeper and for this to be realized, all hands must be on deck.”
Addressing Journalists yesterday at his Asokoro residence, Abuja, the Elder statesman who noted that comments by the Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF were provocative, wrong and unwarranted especially coming from him as a former Inspector- General of Police and Chairman of ACF, an umbrella body of the North.
Clark who noted that the problem with the country was ethnicity and religion, which he said the new government must address with seriousness to achieve harmony in the country, said that President Jonathan should not be dragged into unnecessary skirmishes and he must be allowed to put his house in order before the handover date.
Reiterating that Nigeria belongs to all sections of the country, whether majority or minority, said, ” we all have equal claim in its affairs. Respect for one another is the key determinants for peace and harmony in this great country of ours”.
Coomassie who served as Inspector- General of Police from 1993 to 1999 during military governments of late General Sani Abacha and General Abdulsalami Abubakar had that Abba’s removal was suspicious because his offence was not stated and that his fate as the Nigeria Police boss should have been left to the incoming administration to determine.
Clark said, ” To say the least, this is the most uncharitable comment coming from a former Inspector General of the Nigerian Police who is conscious of the fact that the Police is a discipline establishment.
“It is very wrong of Commassie to question President Jonathan’s actions and decisions, as this amount to wanting to usurp his rights as President. The elections are over and we have accepted the outcome, let us create a conducive atmosphere for the new government to take off”.
Also yesterday, the South South leader denied rumours that he collapsed and died immediately the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, retd was declared winner of the March 28 Presidential election.
The Elder statesman said that there was no basis for him to collapse and because President Goodluck Jonathan lost the election against the backdrop that the the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who contested the election and lost, had conceded victory and congratulated Buhari who won at the polls.
It would be recalled that the Ijaw leader was a very strong supporter of President Jonathan for his re- election bid where he engaged in massive campaign, received supporters, groups, organisations, all in favour of the PDP Presidential candidate, just as he advocated for true Nigeria, unity and equality of all tribes, zones.
Clark who urged Nigerians to stop engaging in what he termed, false rumour, however stressed the need for all to cooperate with the incoming government in-order to move the country forward.
He said, “We must forget what was said against one another during the elections and move forward. Jonathan was the one that contested the election and has conceded defeat, so, why should I die because Jonathan lost.
“You can see me here today talking to you, hail and hearty. I think it is unfair for people to begin to carry rumour that I collapsed and died after the result of the Presidential election was announced”.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/youre-inciting-the-north-against-jonathan-clark-tells-acf-chairman/#sthash.iS0fjPDu.dpuf
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