He described Adamu and Ganduje as “ruthless and selfish politicians” who placed themselves and the ruling APC above national interest.
Elder statesman and leader of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF, Pa Edwin Clark, has tackled the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Adamu and Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje over their comments on the outcome of the Osun State governorship election.
He described Adamu and Ganduje as “ruthless and selfish politicians” who placed themselves and the ruling APC above national interest.
Clark in a statement on Thursday was reacting to the results of the last Saturday’s Osun State election, where the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke defeated the incumbent governor, Oyetola Adegboyega, of the APC.
“I am, therefore, not surprised that he did not accept the result of the free and fair gubernatorial election held in Osun State, even a day after the result had been announced. What a shame.” Clark said of Oyetola.
“There is so much discontent in the land. If people are complaining, a good leader should listen. Unfortunately, we have leaders who not only ignore the concerns of the people with impunity, but also make crass statements.
“For instance, the statement credited to the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, when he inaugurated the 86-member of the party’s National Campaign Council for the Osun State Governorship election, referring to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the election.”
Adamu had urged the council to ensure victory by all means possible.
Clark condemned Senator Adamu’s unguarded statement, stressing that he had known the APC chairman since 1979.
“I was the National Coordinator for the Minorities of the South and the Middle Belt; on several ocassions, I had cause to interact with him. He is a very ruthless and an aggressively ambitious politician.
“At the time, late Ibrahim Mantu, wanted to contest for the Chairmanship of the Plateau State chapter of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Abdullahi Adamu wanted to crush Ibrahim Mantu, but we resisted. It was also during this period that he (Abdullahi Adamu) was able to push himself to become the Chairman of the NPN in Plateau State.
“I also heard from reliable source that Abdullahi Adamu was very hostile to Muhammadu Buhari during one of his (Muhammadu Buhari’s) Presidential campaigns under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
“In fact, the then Senatorial Candidate of the CPC, Gen. Ahmed Aboki, rtd, was maltreated during the period.
“To Abdullahi Adamu, the political party he belongs to and himself are greater than Nigeria as a country and Nigerians. I am, therefore, not surprised that he did not accept the result of the free and fair gubernatorial election held in Osun State, even a day after the result had been announced. What a shame!” He said.
Clark said that the only surprise he would have loved to express was that as Adamu was ageing, he and would have changed from such over ambitious characters but he never did.
“Our leaders must be able to feel the pulse of the people. Let leadership have a human face.” He intoned.