Elder statesman and the Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark has lambasted presidential aspirants of the ruling APC, who he said are paying N100 million for nomination forms considering the impoverished state of the country.
The PANDEF boss, who stated this in a chat with newsmen, in Abuja on Friday, said, “You have everybody in Nigeria where there is hunger, where there is lack of employment, where there is kidnapping going on every day, where children cannot go to school, where the economy is going down, these people were able to mobilize N100 million to pick form.”
Clark described the growing number of politicians declaring presidential intentions from the southern part of the country as unrealistic.
He noted that most of the Southern presidential aspirants, particularly those from the South-West and the South-South are playing double games ahead of the elections.
Speaking further, the elder statesman disclosed that southern politicians have been warned not to accept running mate positions from any northern candidate, adding that anyone who goes contrary would be regarded as unpatriotic.
According to him, “We strongly warn our politicians, former governors, ministers, senators, and so forth not to accept a running mate position from any northern candidate because they cannot do with us and we cannot do without them.
“That will show how serious we are and anybody who offers himself as a running mate will be regarded as the most unpatriotic and a man who has sold his own side of the country and not worthy of being respected and honoured.”