In a recent statement, Pa Edwin Clark, the elder statesman and leader of the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), has spoken about the formation and objectives of the SMBLF in an interview with The Sun.
Clark stated that the SMBLF was established to fight for the interests of Southerners, people from the Middle Belt, and minorities across Nigeria.
The group represents regions including the South-West, South-South, and South-East, as well as states in the Middle Belt such as Plateau, Benue, Kwara, Niger, Nassarawa, and Kogi.
Clark noted that the forum also includes Southern Kaduna and extends to parts of the North-West, like Kebbi and Zamfara, as well as Kwara where the Yorubas align with the forum.
Clark recounted the formation of various groups during President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua's illness.
He mentioned the Congress for Equality and Change (CEC) led by former Senate President Ameh Ebute, which included over 400 attendees, including retired generals.
He detailed the establishment of the Southern Nigeria People's Assembly, which aimed to address issues affecting Southerners.
The group held its inaugural meeting in Uyo, hosted by the then-Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio.
The SMBLF advocated for a new constitution, leading to the 2014 National Conference.
Clark criticized former President Muhammadu Buhari for nepotism and breaching the constitution, favoring the Fulani and Hausa regions.
"We discovered that during the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari, he committed a lot of offences. He breached the Constitution and he didn’t care. He was very nepotistic, developing only the Fulani and the Hausa areas at the expense of the south. And the federal character, which is entrenched in the constitution of Nigeria, he did not obey it. So we decided to go to court. I was the first plaintiff of that case. And people like Ayo Adebanjo, head of Afenifere were there, Fasoranti was number two plaintiff. Both of them represented Afenifere. Then you have John Nwodo, President of Ohaneze then, was there and many others, then Dan Suleiman from the North and others," Clark said.