If groundnut was feeding Nigeria, would the south control it? Clark sends message to north

Buhari and Niger Delta leaders led by Edwin Clark

Edwin Clark faults northern dominance of oil sector

- Chief Edwin Clark said he and members of the group met the president to discuss affecting the Niger Delta

- The elder statesman said people from the region deserve better recognition in the oil sector

- He faulted the dominance of the north in the sector

Chief Edwin Clark has said that the injustice in handling the oil sector is one of the reasons for the problem in the Niger Delta region.

The former federal commissioner of information in an interview with Vanguard spoke about the situation in the Niger Delta region and that it was unfair that northerners dominated the board in charge of oil.

He also spoke about the meeting between the federal government and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and said it was to discuss issues affecting the region.

He said: “A situation whereby what is being produced in my area, someone wants me to beg for it, beg for any benefit from him, I think the situation should be the other way round. Some people feel so arrogant, they believe that the oil which is being produced in the Niger Delta, they own it, and we should have nothing from it, which is not true, and we will not accept it.

“They believe that the management of the oil should be in their hands which they are now doing. For instance, I have said it before, the new board established by Mr. President for NNPC is made up of nine members. Six of them come from the north, non oil-producing communities.

One from the southwest, then the chairman which is a part-time position, the minister, then the other one is from Cross River. So, would they (northerners) allow it, if there is a groundnut board developed and established in a place in the north, particularly in Kano, and if members of that board come from the south, would they allow it? We own this country together. Live and let live.

“We must have respect for one another and have trust for one another. No one is a second-class citizen in his country. So, if there is a group which holds such sentiments, they are just making a mistake.

We are not hijacking anybody. We came with our points to Mr. President; we did not come in an aggressive way, and we had a good discussion with him. Mr. President is the president of Nigeria and not the president of a particular group of northerners.

So, if we have points to discuss with Mr. President, we do not have to take permission from anybody. I think that is what I should tell the North."