One-time Minister for Information and respected Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark on Friday apologised to prominent Nigerians against whom he’d recently been involved in a media war of words.
Speaking in Warri, Delta State on Friday at the finals of the first Chief E.K Clark National Wrestling Championship, Clarke expressed regrets over his clash with Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido as well as four others who recently visited embattled Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.
“I apologize to all Nigerians if my utterance or my action threatened the peace and unity of this country,” he said. “All politicians, leaders should emphasize only those things that keep this country together.
“We cannot split; Nigeria is a large country. Love is one of the greatest thing that binds us together and Nigerians should learn to love one another and work assiduously for the unity of the country.”
Clerk revealed that he had wanted to issue a formal rejoinder to a statement against his person by Lamido but he refrained after learning that a wrestler from Jigawa State would be battling against a wrestler from Delta State in the contest.
He implored politicians to be careful of issuing statements that undermine the country’s unity as a result of their political interests, and called for the convocation of a national conference to discuss the basis of unity in the country.
In his speech, Governor Uduaghan accepted Clarke’s apology and urged the people of the South–South and Nigerians in general to prioritise the unity of the country above their personal interests. He also drummed support for the success of President Goodluck Jonathan and his transformational agenda, saying:
“The unity of Nigeria is paramount; the unity of South-South is paramount; the unity of Delta State is paramount. Nigerians should continue to support the president to succeed.
“Our people in the South-South should support the president. Whatever challenges we have, we can discuss it back home, it is not for us to pull the president down. We should avoid statements that are inciting; many of us prayed for democracy, so we should work for its sustenance.”
