FOREMOST elder statesman from Nigeria’s South-South, Pa Edwin Clark, has accused the South-South governors of corruption and embezzlement of 13% oil derivation funds allocated to their states.
The 96-year-old former federal commissioner of communication under a military regime in the old Midwestern Region claimed that the governors have been misappropriating the oil derivation funds meant for the development of their respective states, describing the action as a deeply-rooted problem plaguing the region.
The prominent Ijaw leader and politician spoke on Friday, January 5, 2024, during an interview on the third episode of “Inside Sources,” a highly acclaimed political TV programme anchored by a veteran journalist, Laolu Akande, on channels TV.
Pa Clark who offered his valuable insights on various pressing national issues also provided viewers with a comprehensive analysis of how the South-South governors fed fat on the oil derivation funds for personal gains, luxurious lifestyles, and political patronage, rather than directing them towards the welfare of the people of the region.
Oil derivation funds are a significant portion of revenue allocated to oil-producing states to compensate for the environmental degradation caused by oil exploration and exploitation.
Chief Clark, with his vast experience and knowledge of the region’s political landscape, argued that the governors’ actions were hindering the much-needed progress and development in their states.
He expressed his disappointment at the lack of transparency and accountability in the management of these funds, which he believed were essential for infrastructural development, education, healthcare, and overall socio-economic growth.
“Most of our governors are corrupt. They utilized this money for themselves. To imagine that my former governor, built a university with our derivation money, it’s unheard of,” Chief Clark stated.
He added, “Warri which is the headquarters of the oil-producing community in the South until the new governor came in to say, no Warri must be developed. So what am I saying, our governors, most of them derailed due to corruption.”
He said, “Corruption is a cankerworm which is eaten and disrupts anything in our country. In fairness to Mohammodu Buhari, he said we must kill corruption if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.”
Continuing, “I reported the governor of Delta State for misusing our derivation money,” Chief Clark said
He went further, “Today, 90 per cent of the oil that generates revenue for Nigeria is found in the Niger Delta or what you call South-South today. Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa produced 90 per cent in August this year of the oil, whereas Abia, produced 0.7 or 8, Imo produced 1.02, Ondo produced less than 4 per cent, Edo produced less than 5 per cent, but people who produced oil are excluded from everything. From the operations of the oil, the children are not employed,” Pa Clark stated.
Speaking on the failed Naira Redesign Policy under the previous administration and the ongoing travails of the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, Chief Clark gave an insight into what transpired during the controversial Naira Redesign Policy and made startling allegations, alleging President Buhari Muhammadu’s involvement in the failed initiative.
Edwin Clark who said that the former President was directly involved in the Naira Redesign Policy, alleged that Buhari utilized the influence of the embattled CBN boss to implement the policy through a company owned by his brother-in-law.
He also asserted that the ex-president was fully briefed on the ill-fated initiative as against insinuations from some quarters that he wasn’t aware of.
It would be recalled that some damning report was recently presented to President Bola Tinubu by the special investigator, Jim Obazee. It was alleged that former CBN boss, Emefiele, opened 593 foreign bank accounts without the approval of either President Muhammadu Buhari or CBN’s board of directors.
Similarly, it was also alleged that the recent naira redesign was not expressly approved by former President Buhari. But according to the special investigator, he said it was Buhari’s aide, Sabiu Tunde Yusuf, who came up with the idea.
Commenting on the issue, Chief Clark dismissed the notion that Emefiele was working alone. He said the ex-CBN governor approached the former President regarding the Naira Redesign Policy and Buhari expressly gave his approval.
He went further and said the former President ordered Emefiele to engage the company owned by his brother-in-law against the intention of Emefiele who had other plans to go abroad for the naira redesign but later succumbed to the President’s directive.
“If anybody says Buhari was not consulted, let me go further and tell you, I’m a free citizen of this country perhaps nobody knows about this,” Chief Clark noted.
He added, “Emefiele was to print this currency abroad so when he took it to Mr. President as we used to do let them prove me wrong, it was the President who noted in it that use local printers because his wife’s brother was the Managing Director of those who printed this money so it was Buhari who did it.”
“If they have taken it abroad they would have printed enough money,” Chief Clark revealed.
Continuing, “Emefiele, whatever he is facing today, I know Nigeria because of the situation that happened before the election, scarcity of money and all sorts but many Nigerians are very short-sighted.”
When asked to comment on the investigation that was put out by the CBN investigator that indicted Emefiele for not getting the approval of the former President, Chief Clark berated the report and labelled it misleading and falsehood.
He said, “Those investigators should examine themselves, I still have a retentive memory. I heard Buhari when the Minister of Finance, the lady, Zainab Ahmed, was questioned, she said she knew nothing about the changes even though the financial control is within her while the Central Bank man is on the monetary aspect, it was at that stage Emefiele went back to Mr. President and the President did not listen to his Minster of Finance,” Chief Clark said.
During the interview, Chief Clark also expressed his disappointment in President Buhari’s administration which had promised to tackle corruption and prioritize transparency and accountability but the elder statesman said his government failed to instill discipline instead he alleged that corruption grew larger in his cabinet.
Pa Clark who applauded former President Buhari for not being a corrupt man and exonerated him from corrupt practices, however, frowned at his disposition in power, saying, “He did not fight corruption, rather, corruption grew higher around him in Aso Rock. He encouraged corruption.
In his words, “He, Buhari, is not corrupt he is a straightforward man but he hadn’t gotten the ability and the foresight, I don’t think he enjoyed good health enough to know what was going on in this country. If anybody says Buhari ruled very well that man is an anti-Nigerian. He is the greatest enemy of Nigeria,” he concluded.