2023: I’ll back Saraki if South doesn’t produce candidate — Clark

The Leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, has said that he will throw his weight behind the presidential ambition of Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, in 2023, if the South does not produce a candidate for the election.

Chief Clark described the former President of the Senate and two-term Governor of Kwara State as “the best for Nigeria.”

The former Federal Minister of Information spoke in Abuja when the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Contact and Advocacy Council, led by its National Chairman, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, paid him a courtesy call to inform him about the plan of the former Senate president to contest the 2023 presidential election.

During the visit, the group spoke on the need for national cohesion through the emergence of a presidential candidate who, over time, has shown character and competence to deliver on national issues.

Clark emphasised the need to present a credible candidate who understands the dynamics in every part of Nigeria, citing the fact that Saraki possessed all the qualities.

He also noted the sterling performance of Saraki in the 8th Senate, while emphasising that if the Southern part of the country failed to produce a consensus candidate, he would support Saraki’s presidential ambition.

He said: “We have been agitating for the presidency to be zoned to the South.

“However, if we fail to come up with a consensus candidate in the South, I will have no option than to support Dr. Bukola Saraki.”

The contact delegation included Senator Solomon Ewuga, Senator Bello Adokwe, Hon. Idem Unyime, Hon. Moses Aliyu, and other prominent chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party.