Encomium
…Commissions Goodluck Jonathan Political Centre, Ijebu Igbo
Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Chief Edwin Clark, few days back stormed Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital to meet with the paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo and other PDP leaders to solicit support for his wife’s senatorial ambition in Ogun Central.
He made the appeal on Sunday, March 8, 2015, at the palace of Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, in Abeokuta while paying the royal father a visit as part of his effort to boost the chances of his wife, Dr Abisola Sodipo Clark at the March 28 senatorial election.
He appealed to the Ake Traditional Council to give his wife, Chief Mrs. Bisola Clark the necessary support, stressing that his wife as a disciplined and responsible woman won’t disappoint the people.
The former Federal Commissioner for Information, however, said for corruption to be drastically reduced in the country, the power presently concentrated at the centre will have to give way for true federalism.
Clark recalled in the colonial Nigeria, the frontline nationalists like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sir Ahmadu Bello understood the importance of regions developing at their own pace, hence the reason they chose true federalism.
He noted that as a result of that arrangement, Awolowo executed many projects, especially the free education programme that has made the Yoruba the most sophisticated people in the country.
“When the nationalists wanted to form governments in 1952, they considered two things. The first was everybody must be equal. And second, they ensured that each region had autonomy to develop at its own pace.
“That was why Chief Awolowo did all the good things in the West – first television station, first tallest building, free education and the rest.
“The efforts of Pa Awolowo accounts for why Yoruba are the most sophisticated in Nigeria.
“True federalism will greatly reduce corruption because there won’t be too much power concentrated at the centre.”
He regretted that leaders like Awolowo are no more available in the country, describing many who parade themselves as leaders today ‘as thieves’.
Chief Clark, however, was hopeful that Nigeria will from May 29 this year begin her journey back to true federalism, adding President Goodluck Jonathan has taken the most important step in that direction with the National Conference he organized.
“President Jonathan will take Nigeria back to true federalism. All the resolutions of the National Conference will give the country a new constitution.
“He is the only man Nigerians can trust to implement the Confab report.
“The past five years have shown that every part of the country is capable of producing the president and President Jonathan will not disappoint the country.”
The President’s Man Friday later left for Ijebu Igbo, where he commissioned the multi-billion naira Goodluck Jonathan Political Centre built by Prince Buruji Kashamu, the chairman, Mobilisation and Organisation Committee, Peoples Democratic Party, Southwest.
– DAYO RUFAI
