Elder Edwin Clark, aged 93, has raised his voice over what he describes as acts of humiliation and marginalisation targeted at the people of the South South.
Clark alleged in an open letter Friday as Nigeria celebrated Democracy Day that ethnic and religious considerations rather than competence and the need to maintain a semblance of geographical spread have become the hallmark of the current administration in the country.
In a letter entitled,”Let Us Call A Spade A Spade”, Clark said the situation has become grossly intolerable.
The elder statesman noted, “the truth, Mr. President, is that the South South Geopolitical Zone have not been treated fairly, by your administration, despite our contribution to the economy of the country.”
“For reasons unknown to me, we have continued to witness discriminative, and unjust actions, against people of South South Extraction, under the presidency, in the last five years.
“Why is it that people, particularly from the South South Zone, are being treated as if they are not Nigerians, as if they are foreigners, or as if they are second class citizens, in their own country”, Clark wrote.
He said he has been inundated with complaints from the people of the South South and so could not continue to turn a blind eye to such issues.
“It is in that light, and in view of recent worrisome developments, that I am writing this letter to Mr. President on Democracy Day.
“The message herein, is a message of truth; encapsulating my thoughts, as well as, the feelings, dissentions, and remonstrations, of the people of the South South Geopolitical Zone, that I have been continuously inundated with.”
Clark pointedly warned that imbalances in Nigeria could be catastrophic, saying the President has an enormous responsibility to redress issues which could lay the foundation for crisis and instability.
“Today, it seems, the only qualifications for appointment in the federal civil service or public service, under your administration, are religion or ethnicity”, Clark told the President in the open letter which is going viral.
Details of the full text of the open letter loading…