The leader of the Patriots, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, has arrived Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, for the National Political Summit scheduled to commence on Tuesday.
This is in defiance of a threat by Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, that Nwabueze and other members of the National Political Summit Group should not step foot on the soil of Akwa Ibom.
Nwabueze’s sin was that he advised Jonathan not to seek re-election in 2015.
Addressing the press on behalf of the South-South Peoples Assembly, which Clark heads, a former Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State, Idongesit Nkanga, said that the summit conveners would not be welcome in Akwa Ibom State as they cannot use the zone’s base and money to oppose Jonathan’s continued stay in power.
But checks by The Eagle Online on Monday evening with the secretariat of the National Political Summit Group has it that Nwabueze and other leaders of the Summit planners – Project Nigeria and the National Consensus Group – were already in Uyo.
Among others who have arrived were chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition, retired Commodore Dan Suleiman; eminent politician, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Chief Solomon Asemota; and Dr. Tunji Abayomi.
The checks also revealed that the spokesperson of the Summit, Ankio Briggs, and Veteran Wale Okunniyi were also in Uyo as at press time.
It was equally learnt that Summit delegates from Abuja and Lagos were still being expected as at press time.
Two flights from Lagos and Abuja are expected to bring them in.
Briggs told The Eagle Online that it was not possible for anyone to stop the Summit for whatever reason.
She said that the statement credited to Nwabueze, over which Clark and his group had taken offence, was made by the respected lawyer in his personal capacity, adding: “I am from the Niger Delta, from where the President is.
“And what we are here to discuss is to engender political stability.
“I believe in the concept of sitting down together.
“It is not anyone person’s right to deny the other the right to sit down and discuss.
“I am surprised there was such a statement.
“I am a free born Nigerian from Rivers State.
“I believe in what the programme wants to do: to find a way forward for Nigeria and Nigerians.
“Such a position taken yesterdaywill not stop me from doing what I believe in.
“We have held such summits before.
“And these people cannot claim to be more Nigerians or more Niger Deltan than I am.
“In 2009 when (late President Umaru) Yar’Adua fell ill, I was the only Niger Deltan person in the initial team shouting that Jonathan should take over.
“So why threaten me now?
“I am still working towards Jonathan retaining his seat in 2015.
“So I am surprised that some are accusing others of working against Jonathan.
“I have known Nkanga for a long time.
“He is from Akwa Ibom.
“I will be surprised if he made such statements.
“It should be clear that I am a supporter of Jonathan and have worked towards his retaining the seat.
“To say what Nwabueze said represents the position of all of us taking part in the summit is wrong.
“He said it that it was his personal position.
“He is a highly respected and educated man.
“He has a right to speak on what he has said.
“It is his personal opinion.
“It is not the opinion of everyone.
“I don’t see why that should reverberate across Nigeria as working against Jonathan.
“The issue is: where is Nigeria going?
“Let us find a way forward for Nigeria.
“Look at Eagle Square on Saturday.
“Even those in the (Presidential) Villa, who agreed with him (Jonathan) on issues, turned their backs on him (at the Special National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party).
“It is the turn of the South South people for Jonathan to run again.
“It will be the turn of the Ibos in 2019.
“Then the Middle Belt after that.
“So it is pure blackmail to say that people gathering are against Jonathan.
“He is the president of Nigeria and not the president of the South South.”
Meanwhile, the Summit secretariat has alerted the nation of a desperate plot to discredit the National Political Summit by those they called self seeking political jobbers, posturing to love Nigeria and the President more than others
Addressing the press on Monday in Uyo, summit spokespersons, Malam Naseer Kura and Briggs, said since the announcement of the historic national consultative meeting, some elements, ostensibly with a vested interest and partisan agenda, have been surreptitiously working against the success of the summit for the fear of losing their dubious grip on the Nigerian Presidency
They said: “But notwithstanding the schemes to destabilize the national political dialogue, we have continued to receive calls and encouragement from well meaning Nigerians who have applauded the summit initiative; expressing excitement and optimism about the timing and impact of the non partisan summit on the current challenges of Nigeria in the areas of political stability and national security.”
Kura and Briggs also affirmed that irrespective of the creepy moves and campaign of calumny by ‘egoistic and discredited politicians, 99 per cent of the eminent Nigerians invited to play key roles at the historic national summit have reaffirmed their support and readiness to participate at the summit.
They said more than 300 delegates have already arrived the Le’ Meridian venue of the summit in Uyo
The summit organisers also seized the opportunity to state that in spite of the clarifications made by Nwabueze (SAN), one of the leading conveners of the Summit, about the agenda, that the Uyo gathering is purely an initiative to build national consensus on the modality and roadmap to national stability and security, these elements have refused to be reasonable and decorous
They however reiterated that Tuesday’s gathering in Akwa Ibom State is a follow up of the Project Nigeria national dialogue series and Citizens’ Advocacy Group strategic support for stability in Nigeria, “which was initiated in Abuja Transcorp Hilton Hotel on Friday May 27th 2011 followed by a major assembly at Port Harcourt Presidential Hotel on August 26th and 27th 2011 and a national parley hosted by the Nigerian Labour Congress on December 7th 2012 in Abuja after which some leading officials of Project Nigeria decided to set up National Summit Group led by Prof. Pat Utomi before it was hijacked and monopolized by certain individuals, while Pat Utomi and others who set up the adhoc group were schemed out after the initial Dialogue held at Lagos Sheraton Hotels in February.”
The duo also informed that all strategic logistics for the successful hosting of the summit have been put together by the Citizens Advocacy Groups and its partners, stressing that full details of delegates list, logistic and programme will be made public by the group.
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