By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Barrister Mike Igini has described the demise of the Pan Niger Delta Development Forum (PANDEF) leader Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark as colossal loss to Nigeria.
In a press statement made available to Prompt News in Abuja on Tuesday evening, the former Akwa Ibom state REC said Pa Clark’s unquenchable quest for an equitable and enabling country saw his presence as a pillar of leadership in most of the milestone national conferences that were conducted to return the country to the moral compass and values upon which the founding fathers of the country agreed to a federal compact.
The statement titled PAPA REST IN PEACE read: “With heavy hearts but gratitude to God for an exemplary life of distinguishegd leadership, we mourn the passing of our father, one of the colossal titans in the pantheon of leadership in the South-South geopolitical zone and Nigeria. Our leader, mentor, and inspirational father of all, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark.
Pioneering achievenents:
His distinguished service at National and regional levels has few peers. Having served at a very young age as one of the strongest voices of advocacy for fostering and nuturing a truly federal Nigeria. He remained a tip of the national spear for the struggle against regression and revisionism from the ideals of federalist governance in Nigeria.
His unquenchable quest for an equitable and enabling country saw his presence as a pillar of leadership in most of the milestone national conferences that were conducted to return the country to the moral compass and values upon which the founding fathers of the country agreed to a federal compact.
And in the many years since, several national leadership sought to stray away from the fundaments of this compact, he has been a strong voice calling on all to retrace their steps.
The greatest honour, that we can therefore pay to his memory at his passing, is to use the period of mourning to recommit ourselves as a nation to those ideals of inclusion, equity, unity in diversity, justice and fairness for all sections of the Country that he stood for.
He was a national and regional champion, once a federal Commissioner for Information, a distinguished legal practitioner and politician, he became the unchallenged leader and spokesperson of the South-South. Despite the huge contribution of the region to the economic sustainability of Nigeria, he only asked for a fair share for everyone and an equitable contribution from everyone to the sustainability of the nation. Even when others sought more for their regional interests, fairness and justice remained his undiluted touchstone.
In challenging moments in the arena of national assignments, he instilled lessons of his federal expereince on the need for fairness in those who were willing to do right and ensure fairness to all. Papa stood by me and spoke out publicly at every moment of my vulnerability to protect me from those opposed to doing the right thing and ensuring due process of law for the good of our country.
Papa did his best for our people of South-South and Nigeria, he implanted an enduring spirit of commitment to duty in all hearts. He will for all times remain in our hearts.
May his brave soul find peaceful rest and may God grant solace to the Clark family, the South South and the Nigerian nation for this huge loss”.
