Barely 48 hours after former President Olusegun Obasanjo endorsed the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Leader of the South-South, who is also an elder statesman in the Niger Delta region, Chief Edwin Clark, has also backed Obi.
Clark, who addressed a press conference at his Abuja residence on Tuesday, declared Obi as the best candidate to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
Clark, who is a former Minister of Information and leader of PAN Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), also asked members of the forum and other stakeholders in the South-South to vote for Obi in the forthcoming election.
He said his vision for the Niger Delta region and commitment to good governance was the reason behind his endorsement of the LP presidential flagbearear.
Clark said, “His vision for more equity and justice as it pertains to the South-South region, which in the past sixty years has produced much of the revenue for the national economy, but has been neglected with little impact in terms of infrastructure and social development, is convincing and commendable.
“Peter Obi’s commitment to environmental justice to the clean up of the Niger Delta polluted communities is most welcomed, given that even the ongoing Ogoni clean-up has been rather slow.
“His commitment to inclusion of qualified persons from the Niger Delta in the national governance process in the future government if elected into power is very reassuring.
“And that, H.E. Peter Obi unwavering commitment to reactivation of our ports, development of Blue Economy and Maritime Sector, and investment in Gas sector, developing of Modular refineries, are worthy of note.
“I formally hereby announce that I will, therefore, personally, vote for HE Peter Obi and his Vice presidential candidate on election day, 25th Feb, 2023, as President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I have also requested the leadership of PANDEF, as a democratic institution and all other socio-cultural and socio-political bodies which i head to consult with their members at the levels of the states, local governments and diaspora to take further steps in supporting my choice of H.E Peter Obi.”