Ijaw elder statesman Edwin Clark forces boycott of Niger Delta summit over Amaechi

IJAW elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark has declared that he will not participate in the forthcoming two-day Niger Delta Summit being planned between the federal government and local militant groups as it is being facilitated by transport minister Rotimi Amaechi.

 

Over the last year, militancy has returned to the Niger Delta and the government has proposed talks with the armed groups and community elders. However, Chief Clark, the leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Coastal States Consultative Forum, said he will not be participating in the talks, because they are being convened by former Rivers State governor and transport minister Rotimi Amaechi.

 

His decision forced the government to postpone the start of the talks due to begin yesterday. Chief Clark warned President Muhammadu Buhari not listen to former Governor Amaechi, saying that he is part of the problem and as such cannot be part of the solution.

 

Chief Clark added: “Amaechi is one of the problems of the Niger Delta as he is seeing himself as next to the president. The people of Niger Delta are ready to work with President Muhammadu Buhari but he should not listen to people like Amaechi and others that were allegedly confusing him and telling him untruths about the region."

 

Donald Wokoma, the secretary of the Planning Committee of the Summit, announced the postponement. It is believed that government got intelligence that the summit would be largely boycotted by the mainstream Niger Delta leaders and ex-agitators, supposed to the main target of the meeting.