Champion Oghenetega
19 November 2008
opinion
DEMORACY has been adjudged by political scientists across the globe as the best system for effective and positive leadership because it creates room for freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom to probe corrupt office holders and all life activities associated with fundamental human rights.
That was why Abraham Lincoln, pioneer President of the United States of America, defined 'Democracy' as government of the people by the people and for the people and this has been the most acceptable definition across the world.
The import of this definition was what the whole world saw early last Wednesday as Americans in unison voted for a black to lead them for the next four years.
But, some persons in Delta State, particularly the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, is already changing the concept and definition of democracy to 'government of my family, by my family and for my family alone, no other person'.
He unveiled this definition recently through a writer, who goes by the name Enikeiye Temepriye, who titled his views on page 39 of October 27th 2008 Vanguard Newspaper as Yar'Adua, EFCC and E. K. Clark's excesses.
My concern here is what offence did Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, a foremost Ijaw leader and ace crusader, commit in insisting on probing past office holders who are alleged to be corrupt, particularly ex-governors in the Niger Delta region. Chief Clark, as widely known, stands for the truth and good governance in all the states in the Niger Delta region.
May one ask what deprived Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan from disclosing the left over in the Delta State coffer on his assumption as governor on May 29, 2007. Many governors across the federation disclosed the amount of money their predecessors left for them. Uduaghan didn't disclose anything to citizens of the state because the state was indebted to many banks across Nigeria.
In reference to a paragraph in the advertorial where they called Chief Clark an ethnic leader, I wonder who can be more ethnical than Chief Ibori and his cousin for giving out all the juicy assortments or portfolios and contracts to their relations. Why accuse Chief Clark of being a tribal man when they are swimming in tribalism.
Was it not the interest of Ibori in the vice president's seat that made him to trade away the governorship of Delta State to the Itsekiris? Nigerians should disregard all such writers who are trying to blackmail Chief Edwin Clark's reputation because they are doing so to disrupt the entire polity and distract the call for the probe of their masters.
Another reason why Ibori and his cousin are more tribal than Chief Clark is that his cousin, who is currently the governor of Delta State, was quoted as saying recently that by the time he finished with development of Koko community, Oghara, which is being envied by many in the state due to the marginalisation of other communities for her development, would be a village compared to Koko.
To actualise this dream, the governor recently awarded the construction of Koko community road with eight lanes, first of its kind in the history of Delta State and Nigeria at large. And also the multi-billion naira bridge project that is under construction from NPA, Warri to Ode Itsekiri is a gigantic proof of the governor's tribalism.
To justify my point, can the governor point out a major project like those mentioned above in Delta Central, North and even the Ijaw local government areas in Delta South apart from the miniature street light project that is being run at the cost of about N500 million every month. Uduaghan is doing all this while Prof. Utuama is busy patching one lane road that is not more than two kilometres to his father's compound at Otu-Jeremi.
Ibori is thinking of how he can get Mr. President to cover his maladministration so that he will be illegally vindicated, then he would be able to rule for another eight years and, at the end, another Ibori relation from Oghara would be imposed on the people.
The days of luring the President to cover one's tracks are over. The day of giving account of one's stewardship is now. This is what Chief E. K. Clark stands for and that is why they hate him. But they cannot stop him in this crusade to make the Niger Delta better for all.
As a Federal Minister for Information, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark served faithfully. He is only being crucified because he did not steal money meant for other communities' development in Nigeria to develop Kiagbodo his ancestral community.
Mr. Oghenetega, a public affairs analyst, writes from Sapele, Delta State
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