FORMER military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, has expressed outrage at the remarks credited to the South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, linking him with the Boko Haram menace, averring that the elder statesman betrayed his status by making such a claim against him, while he described it as misguided.

Babangida also threatened to drag the elder statesman to court any time such erroneous allegation was again made against his person.

In a statement by his media consultant, Kashim Afegbua, Babangida said the remarks by Clark were misdirected, since he had long announced his retirement from active politics, wondering what interest he (Babangida) would be serving by encouraging acts of terrorism in Nigeria.

“We are ashamed to state here that rather than coming up with plausible and efficacious solution[s] to insecurity in the country, what the self-acclaimed elder statesman came up with was buck-passing, such odium and rancid outburst, to the extent of trying to accuse General Babangida of the Boko Haram menace. We view this misguided and senseless statement in very bad taste and we take very strong exceptions to his drooling and implied conclusion,” the statement said.

Babangida denied ever having anything to do with Boko Haram, as a former head of state and a war hero, while accusing Clark of failing to give the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan good counsel on how to effectively tackle security challenges in Nigeria.

The former president stressed that he had done much to mitigate the security problems facing Nigeria with several suggestions, and hence did not deserve being linked in any way with Boko Haram activities.

“Former president, General Ibrahim Babangida, has no hands in the present challenges facing President Jonathan and the insecurity in the country. In fact, it is IBB’s belief that some of the problems were inherited by the present administration.

“IBB has since left the political turf for the younger generation of Nigerians. He has said repeatedly that he will no longer be an applicant in the political industry in Nigeria until Allah calls him home. Rather than crucify IBB for nothing, Chief Clark should blame the corruption in the system and several incompetences and inadequacies of the present system.

“Instead of buck-passing and playing the blame game, we expect Edwin Clark to advise the government of the day to do more of consultation with former presidents, opinion moulders and leaders of thoughts across the country with the aim of getting lasting and integrated solutions to our problems,” the statement read.

The statement added that “having invested so much in the unity and stability of the country, to the extent of fighting in the civil war to keep the country together, it is out of place for anyone, least of all an old man of Edwin Clark’s nomenclature, to input directly or indirectly that IBB should prove his innocence on the Boko Haram menace.

“We were expecting Chief Clark to use the opportunity of his forum to advance solutions to the insecurity situation in the country, with particular reference to the Boko Haram crisis. General Babangida has offered several approaches and methodologies to addressing the precarious situation both in public and private, and had stated without equivocation that dialogue would serve as a better tool than this militant approach, which is not yielding appropriate result.”

The statement also asked President Jonathan to use some of the Muslim clerics in the North as middlemen to reach the members of Boko Haram and appealed for calm and understanding, in the interest of the unity and stability of the system.

Reacting, however, Chief Clark, said IBB overreacted on his earlier statements on Boko Haram. Clark said as an elder statesman, he was of the view that Babangida and other northern leaders were in a better position to unravel the challenges posed by terrorist activities in that part of the country.

He said no Nigerian leader would conclude that the act of terrorism was only a northern problem, stressing, however, that the solution first lies in the hands of northern leaders who, he said, were supposed to take the bull by the horn, while providing a roadmap for the government on how to end the challenge.

Clark, who reacted through his legal adviser, Mr Kayode Ajulo, insisted that IBB and others like him should come together and take steps in addressing what he described as a mind boggling challenge.

The rest of Nigeria, according to Clark, was on the same page with the North on the challenges of Boko Haram, and had desired an immediate solution, the clue of which, he said, could easily be offered by the North.

The legal adviser said Clark was worried that IBB took the challenge he had posed to him and other northern leaders personal, noting that the South-South leaders did not feel compelled to join issues with the former military president on newspaper pages.

Comments (8)

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written by Kingsley Opara, August 06, 2012

E.Clerk just opened his mouth and accused Buhari and Babangida personally of sponsoring BK. why is he denying now? When he mentioned Buhari's name, he said and i quote: "That one that thinks only him can rule Nigeria". Why the denial now?

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Presidential Advisors
written by muazu wali, August 06, 2012

Rubbish, President Yaradua took up the security threat in Niger Delta as NATIONAL Secrurity problem. He neer asked the south south leaders to solve it. If President Jonathan has failed as admitted by his cohort the simple solution is for him to resign and hand over the country to the Northerners! Muazu H. Wali

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Mr
written by Ajuwon Tayo, August 06, 2012

If the Niger Delta chief has overwhelming evidence against the ex-general as to his involvement in this boko-haram nonsense, he should make it available to security and other government agencies. I dont know if he(Babangida) is above the law but he should be made accountable for his actions if he is found to be involved and the high chief should please,keep quiet if otherwise.
Mr Jonathan should be pro-active and stand up to his responsibilities now than ever before. Government should face the issue(security) seriously now and stop playing with people`s lifes.

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Call for caution
written by Love Korfa, August 06, 2012

It is not time to apportion blame to anyone. As elder statesmen, IBB, Chief Clark and many others should come together and chart the way forward in solving the current security challenges facing the country. To be sincere, no part of the country is safe.
And since the military option is not really addressing the issue, the federal government should tow the line of more of dialogue and let's see the result.
God bless Nigeria.

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written by joh jay, August 06, 2012

Elder Clark never accused IBB or Buhari of sponsoring boko haram rather he asked them to be actively involved in finding a way to stop their activities.As former heads of state from the north,IBB and Buhari know what to do to stop the boko haram. By their nonchallant atitude, they seem not to care because they want to see Jonathan fail as a president.

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BOKO HARAM: Edwin Clark’s statement senseless, misguided - IBB•Threatens legal action against Ijaw leader •I’ll not be drawn into personality war with IBB - Clark
written by Osaretin, August 06, 2012

There's nothing wrong with what Edwin Clark has said, every right thinking Nigerian knows that Buhari and Atiku are responsible for the deadly terrorist activities in the country. They are bent on making Nigeria ungovernable for GEJ. As for IBB he is sitting on the fence in this matter.

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edwin clark on boko haram
written by jones, August 06, 2012

The stupid Ijaw man is merely hiding behind a finger. The yeye thief can only be important in the midst of clueless nonentities. I WEEP FOR NIGERIA

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Opportunist
written by S.Garkida,, August 07, 2012

Edwin Clark is just an opportunist hypocrite. He is pointing a finger while three is pointing at him. where was he when MEND were destroying lives and properties in the southern part of the country. Jonathan should come clean before the nation and tell the truth about the last election because he did not win the election. BBC AIRED HIS WINNING BEFORE THE ELECTION BEGINS IN NIGERIA WHY?

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