By Ed Malik, A | ed@ddnewsonline.com | posted 20th february, 2025
Nigerian Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio recently received the leadership of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) during a courtesy visit and disclosed that the Senate will be involved the late statesman’s burial program.
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The delegation, led by PANDEF National Chairman Ambassador Godknows Igali, formally informed the Senate about the passing of their esteemed leader, Pa Edwin Clark, who died on Monday, February 17, 2025, at the age of 97.
“We agreed to send a strong delegation to come and condole with you, condole with the immediate family and the good people of Ijaw nation, Niger Delta as a whole and other Nigerians,” Igali stated.
Expressing gratitude to PANDEF for the visit, Akpabio remarked, “We have received the news now formally, and I want to thank you for the honor that you have done to the National Assembly by coming as a delegation to let us know that yes indeed, our father is gone. The father of Nigeria. One of those who have made Nigeria what it is.”
Akpabio described the late elder statesman as a nationalist who transcended ethnic and regional interests. “Pa Edwin Clark was not just any Nigerian.
He was a Pan Africanist… an iconic leader… a detribalized Nigerian who fought particularly for the welfare of the minorities across Nigeria, not just in the Niger Delta.”
Furthermore, Akpabio assured PANDEF that the Senate would actively participate in honoring Clark’s memory, including sending a delegation to convey condolences and engaging in all burial activities.
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In a plenary session held on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, the Senate paid tribute to Pa Edwin Clark and urged the Federal Government to immortalize him by naming a national monument in his honor. The motion, presented by Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas of Delta South and co-sponsored by 16 other senators from the South-South geopolitical zone, highlighted Clark’s significant contributions to Nigeria’s political evolution and his unwavering commitment to the rights of the Niger Delta people. Senate President Akpabio and other senators lauded Clark’s relentless advocacy for equity, justice, and national unity.
Pa Edwin Clark was a prominent Nigerian Ijaw leader and politician from Delta State. Throughout his extensive career, he served in various capacities, including as Federal Commissioner for Information in 1975 and as a senator during the Second Republic.
He was a fervent advocate for the Niger Delta region, founding the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) in 2016 to promote restructuring, development, and security policies beneficial to the area. Clark was also a philanthropist, establishing the Edwin Clark Foundation and founding a university in his hometown.
His passing has elicited condolences from notable figures, including President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, all of whom recognized his unwavering commitment to justice, equity, and national unity.
In conclusion, Akpabio called on Nigerians to remain steadfast in their love for the country despite its challenges.
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“We must not lose faith no matter what is happening. No matter the travails that we are passing through today. We must love Nigeria. We must believe in Nigeria.”
The Senate’s decision to honor Pa Edwin Clark underscores his enduring legacy as a nationalist, advocate, and leader dedicated to the progress and unity of Nigeria.