Politics
2023 Presidency: Edwin Clark Makes Case For S’East
A 92-year-old respected Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark has issued a strong warning to any group or region pushing against the Southeast producing the next president come 2023.
The former Federal Commissioner for Information said it would be dangerous to sideline the Igbo, adding that the amalgamation of South and Northern Nigeria, when it was made, was not made that one group of people either the North or the South should be superior to the other.
Clark, the national Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, pointed out that after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years in 2023, power should shift to the East.
“We have just finished one election, but if we are talking about rotation it has been there, “ he told Sun.
“One of the reasons given against President Jonathan in the past was that he did not obey the rotation order of the presidency.
“Now after it has been zoned to the North, after eight years it will come to the South and I am surprised at those who are now talking nonsense, people wanting to become president of Nigeria from certain southern area when the whole of the East, which is a very vital part of this country, no matter whatever anybody says, the Southeast is a very important part of this country before and after independence, you cannot push them aside.
“You just cannot. They must be considered in any rotational matter about the presidency for 2023. It is funny somebody just coming out, saying that rotation is abolished, that it does not exist because one competent or intelligent fellow is needed.
“Are you telling me that the six zones in Nigeria that there is no zone that cannot produce competent, transparent, intelligent people to run the affairs of this country?
“Competent leaders abound everywhere among the different zones in Nigeria, so nobody should underrate any area of this country. The moment you are treating a certain area of this country as inferior people, as second class people, as people who are not equal to the others then there is no peace, there is no country.
“The amalgamation of Nigeria, South and Northern Nigeria, when it was made, it was not made that one group of people either the North or the South should be superior to the other.
“It was an amalgamation of people of equal citizens of their country. People existed before Lord Lugard came, there was the Southern Nigeria Protectorate, there was the Northern Nigeria Protectorate, so no one should deceive anybody that what is going on now in this country is true federalism, no.
“Today the president is talking about re-allocation of revenue, he has no power to do that, it is the job of Nigerians either at a conference and it must be passed through the National Assembly and the Houses of Assembly because it will affect the constitution.
“The present government is talking about granting autonomy to local governments, dissolving the joint fund between the state and local government; these are matters of the constitution and only through the restructuring of the country that this can happen.
“I have also heard people like the governor of Sokoto State talking a few days ago about the office of the Attorney General.
“That the office of the Attorney General should be separated from or different from that of the Minister of Justice.
“The constitution provides that an Attorney General should be independent, which is the Attorney General for everybody; the Minister of Justice can be a politician.
“We have also heard that the position of the Accountant-General of the Federation be split into two: one for the country and one for the Federal Government. These are all part of the restructuring that we are talking about.”
Politics
Alleged Coup: Protests Rock N’Assembly As Detained Officers’ Children, Wives Demand Justice
Scores of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials.
The protesters who gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moved in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.”
Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their detained fathers, many of whom they said they had not seen for months.
The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja attended by no fewer than 20 wives and several children of the detained officers, including a two-month-old baby.
The families were accompanied by human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore.
At the briefing, the families lamented that the officers had been held for over 160 days without trial or contact with their relatives, describing the situation as a violation of their fundamental rights.
Speaking on behalf of the families, Memuna Bashiru said the prolonged detention had thrown their households into uncertainty and emotional distress, noting that while allegations had been widely publicised, families remained in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
The arrest of the indicted officers was first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defense Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed that 16 officers were taken into custody for alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
However, an interim investigation later suggested the existence of a clandestine network of officers, allegedly coordinated by a senior Army officer, which had begun preliminary planning for a coup.
According to the report, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja, and major international airports, with October 25, 2025, cited as the planned date for the operation.
Those reportedly in custody include Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A. A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M. A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A. A. Yusuf, Lt S. S. Felix, Lt Cdr D. B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S. B. Adamu and Maj I. Dauda.
The alleged plot, according to findings, targeted senior government officials, including President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
In a statement issued yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said the exercise would take place in all wards and designated centres nationwide.
He called on existing members to update their records, while encouraging new entrants to join the party through the digital platform.
“As the electronic membership registration exercise resumes in all wards and designated locations nationwide, we urge existing members to validate their membership while new members are encouraged to register and join the progressive family,” Mr Morka said.
According to him, eligibility for registration is limited to individuals aged 18 and above who possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).
The party said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise its operations by transitioning to a digital database that would enhance record accuracy and accessibility.
Mr Morka noted that the e-registration would “digitise the party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, and enhance efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions.”
He added that the move is also aimed at promoting internal democracy within the party and strengthening its commitment to democratic innovation.
The APC had previously introduced electronic registration as part of broader reforms to streamline its membership system and improve organisational efficiency.