Rejection of Clark’s nominee brews rift with Jonathan

Fears of a possible rift between President Goodluck Jonathan and elder-statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, were being expressed yesterday, following the seeming rejection of Clark’s nominee to represent the South-South geopolitical zone in the federal cabinet.

As at yesterday, no nomination had been made but there were indications that Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State may have an upper hand on the issue. Clark, it was learnt, was meanwhile, being appeased by presidential aides with the offer of ambassadorial and other appointments in the new government.

Governor Amaechi, it was learnt, was favoured because of his new position as Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF. As chairman of the NGF, the governor is expected to be the link between the President and the nation’s powerful group of governors and is being favoured to produce the candidate for the zone.

The seeming inclination of the President is, however, raising apprehension among associates of Chief Clark and in the presidency over fears that some aides of the President may deliberately be aiming to cause a division between the Ijaw elder-statesman and the President.

Until now, the relationship between Clark and the President has been uneventful. That was despite the friction between Clark and the mainstream of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Delta State.

Associates of both men are, however, anxious of a possible deterioration in the once cordial relations if presidential minders are able to put a wedge between both men.

Pointers were also being made yesterday to the fact that former President Olusegun Obasanjo successfully positioned the two nominees from Ogun State and influenced the nomination of other nominees from some other states.

The desire between Clark and Amaechi to appoint the South-South nominee is believed to be a thorny issue for the President. Not only is Amaechi chairman of the Governors” Forum, he was also helpful in turning out some of the biggest votes for the President from the South-South.

Clark on his part was also instrumental behind the scene in mobilizing support for the President especially with his allies in the North in paving way for the President”s acceptance by the mainstream of the north before the election.

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