Elder statesman, Edwin Clark has endorsed the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, for the 2023 presidency.
He made his stance known in a press briefing in his Asokoro residence in Abuja on Tuesday.
Clark’s endorsement is coming two days after former President Olusegun Obasanjo also announced his endorsement of the LP candidate.
The Igbo national leader said he chose to back Obi because the former Anambra governor possessed traits he believes are critical to successfully leading a nation like Nigeria.
He said that as Anambra governor, Obi showed honesty, trust and transparency.
The nonagenarian promised to use his goodwill with the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and other groups he belongs to ensure they support Obi’s candidacy.
“Taking all these factors into consideration, and putting His excellency Peter Obi side by side with all other candidates being presented by other political parties, I am convinced beyond doubt, that our country Nigeria has a great opportunity to elect a phenomenal team, the candidate of the Labour Party, and his deputy, senator Datti Baba-Ahmad, as president and vice-president respectively.
“I formally hereby announce that I will, therefore, personally, vote for HE Peter Obi and his vice presidential candidate on election day, February 25th, 2023, as president and vice-president of the federal republic of Nigeria.
“I also call on all well Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, religious and even political backgrounds to vote for H.E. Peter Obi without hesitation, as he is our best hope of a new Nigeria of peace, stability and progress,” Clark said.
Speaking on Obi’s presence at a PANDEF meeting held in Bayelsa, Clark said the former Anambra governor was convincing in his plans for the Niger Delta.
“I have since been fully briefed on the successful outcome of the interaction held at that occasion. Amongst other things, I have taken note of the following observations which came out of the meeting: That PANDEF presented the expectations and demands of the peoples of the Niger Delta, comprising infrastructural development, devolution of power, resource control, effective and inclusive participation in the oil and gas sector, amongst other things, to the Presidential Candidate.
“That the vision statement shared by His Excellency Peter Obi at the occasion, as it relates to making Nigeria more productive, using the rich resource endowment in every part of the country; curbing waste and fighting corruption; and creating jobs for our teeming youths through innovative initiatives is very commendable.
“That his restated commitment to restructuring and devolution of power, will promote harmony, peaceful coexistence amongst the states and constituent parts of the country.
“That 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,” Clark said.
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