‘Danjuma should be more straight-forward not biased’- Edwin Clark

Chief Edwin Clark, stated that Danjuma should have condemned the attacks on Jonathan in several states in the North instead of calling for the arrest of the ex-militants.
Meanwhile, a former militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, was defiant as he accused Danjuma of sponsoring terrorism in the Northern part of the country and also called for his arrest and prosecution. Similarly, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo in his reaction, said he felt sorry for Danjuma for calling for his arrest and other Niger Delta activists.

Danjuma had Wednesday in Kano State called for the immediate arrest of Asari, Tompolo and Boyloaf over alleged comments credited to them that there would be war should President Jonathan fail to win the February 14 poll.  Reacting also former Provost-Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brig.

Chief Clark, Elder statesman, while noting his respect for the former army chief, said it was unhelpful for Danjuma to condemn some and not others.

“I read with amazement and indignation, the statement made by Gen. Danjuma, a man I have so much respect for. I always believed that he is very straightforward and courageous and that he can speak to anybody on any issue. I was, therefore, surprised that young men like Asari Dokubo, Tompolo, Boyloaf who they call ex-militants should make statements and instead of him appealing to everybody who has been making such types of statements, he now said that some should be arrested? “President Jonathan has always believed in one man, one vote and that nobody should die because of him. I went further to say that if it is true that Asari Dokubo and Kingsley Kuku said what was attributed to them, then confront them and not all of Ijaw people. I then went further to ask the speaker that he should be courageous enough to condemn similar statements made.”

Clark noted that a number of northern leaders including Alhaji Isa Kaita, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Dr. Junaid Mohammed and Ango Abdullahi in the past made threats against the peace and security of the country before the 2011 elections. “And in the same vein, they said that they would make Nigeria ungovernable if Jonathan wins the 2011 elections. And they really caused mayhem. My nephew that I trained in the University of Calabar was among those Youth Corps members killed in Bauchi. Where was Gen. Danjuma then? So, why do you now condemn these people?

So I think this type of condemnation is one-sided and does not speak well of somebody who believes in the unity of Nigeria. “Recently, APC said they will set up a parallel government if they don’t win the election. What did Danjuma say? So, I feel very disappointed that he should direct his attention to these men who feel that after the attack on President Jonathan in Bauchi where his security men were wounded and he was attacked in Katsina, something should be done. “Jonathan comes from somewhere and perhaps that is why these people made that statement and you remember Governor Lamido of Jigawa said that if anyone goes against Buhari, the northerners would regard him as an enemy. For some time now they have been campaigning, when Buhari went to Bayelsa State, he was given a red carpet treatment, and that is the home state of the President. It was the same in Port-Harcourt, the second home of the President. He (Buhari) campaigned throughout the South-South. “So, why should Jonathan not have the same privilege?

An he is the president of the country? Why should his posters not be pasted in the north? PDP governors cannot speak about Jonathan in their place? So, what kind of country do we belong to? Has Gen. Danjuma not been reading about those things?” “I condemn any statement made by anybody threatening the stability of this country. I am not supporting if it is true that they made that statement, they didn’t make it on behalf of us, but Danjuma should be more straight-forward and I respect him because when he speaks, the nation will hear. He should not be biased. Nigeria is Nigeria, nobody is superior to the other, we are equals. If we belong to a country where only one part can make mistakes and it would be condemned, then it is not one country.

So, I expect Danjuma to appeal to the northerners to allow Jonathan to campaign in every part of the north.” Arrest him for sponsoring terrorism and attacks on Jonathan Tompolo, who called for Danjuma’s arrest for allegedly sponsoring terrorism in the Northern part of the country in a statement by his media aide, Paul Bebenimibo, said: “The call by Danjuma for my arrest and other agitators for a better living condition for the people of the Niger Delta region is an indication that he is behind terrorism in the North Eastern part of the country. He also did not condemn the attacks on the president in Bauchi. “Is Gen. Danjuma not aware of the peaceful atmosphere when Gen Muhammadu Buhari visited Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states (home base of the President) for campaigns? Why was it that President Jonathan’s convoy was attacked in Kastina and Bauchi states without any provocation?

“Who is Gen. Danjuma if not for the oil wealth he is enjoying from the Niger Delta? He should rather be arrested for being behind terrorism in the North. “Where was Danjuma when Mallam Adamu Ciroma threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable if Jonathan defeated the All Progressives Congress, APC presidential candidate, Buhari? Where was this so-called statesman when the APC campaign Director-General, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, threatened to form a parallel government if President Jonathan wins the 2015 elections? Where was he when Dr. Junaid Muhammed, Buhari and Atiku Abubakar all said in separate interviews that the nation will boil if Jonathan won the election in 2011?