Insecurity: Nigerians must unite to combat menace- Clark

 As Buhari, Jonathan, others greet him at 92

Elder statesman and former Information Minister, Chief Edwin Clark, has called on all Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari in the bid to contain insurgency and other forms of insecurity in the country.

Clark, who decried the alarming state of insecurity, warned that should the people fail to queue behind the president in this difficult time, things might degenerate and it will not be for the good of the country.

The Ijaw leader who turned 92 years old yesterday however challenged the president to come to terms with the facts that efforts of his security apparatus is grossly inadequate.

He therefore urged Buhari to convene a national dialogue on national security involving past and current leaders of the country in seeking ways of tackling the issues.

Clark who refused to celebrate his birthday as a result of the alarming insecurity across the country also frowned at the way apprehended culprits are handled.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari and former President Goodluck Jonathan has extolled the virtues of the the elder statesman on the occasion of his 92nd birthday anniversary.

In his tribute to Chief Clark, who served as Information Minister during the regime of General Yakubu Gowon, Buhari noted “even if you don’t agree with the elder statesman sometimes, you must acknowledge his patriotism and commitment to peace.”

In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari said: “Peace building is one of the greatest contributions we should expect of our elders, and I am proud that Chief Edwin Clark has played this role remarkably during trying times in our country.”

He described the nonagenarian as a man of strong convictions who doesn’t hesitate to speak his mind on national issues and added “this gentleman expresses his mind without malice, one of the outstanding virtues of a statesman that he is.”

In a goodwill message he personally signed, former President Goodluck Jonathan noted that Chief Clark has made significant contributions to Nigeria’s growth and development, adding that the nonagenarian has continued to work for the nation’s unity and progress.

A statement by Ikechukwu Eze, the former President’s spokesman further described Clark as a respected leader and statesman who has been at the forefront of peace-building initiatives in the country.

The message read: “I join your family members and other well-wishers to congratulate you on your 92nd birthday. I am grateful to God for blessing Nigeria and the Niger Delta with someone like you.”

Clark had said in a message, “In ending my 92nd birthday message on the “State of the Nation”, I call on President Muhammadu Buhari to honestly come to terms with the stark truth, that his current efforts with his security apparatus is grossly inadequate for the task. I call on Mr. President to urgently convene a sober National Discourse on National Security, of former Heads of State and leaders, women and selected youths, in Nigeria to work out a consensual and amicable resolution of this long, seemingly intractable, challenge affecting the country since the entry of Boko Haram menace in the national psyche. ”

While also pleading with Boko Haram sect and the herdsmen to stop the dastardly act, Chief Clark enjoined “all Nigerians to join in praying fervently for our nation for God’s mercy. We do not have other country to call our own, “he said.

He blamed rising cases of insecurity for his refusal to rollout the drum to celebrate his birthday, for the second time in the last five years. “I feel grateful to God for the gift of good health, physical strength. Even more gladdening to me is the very active life I have lived spanning nearly all facets of our national life. But there are too many issues in the country that erode the enthusiasm of celebration,” he said.