Elder statesman and leader of the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), Pa Edwin Clark, has stated that when late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was ill and receiving treatment in Saudi Arabia many groups from different regions of Nigeria, such as the Yoruba, South-South, and South-East called for Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to take charge and lead the country.
In a report shared today by The Sun, Clark said during that period, a group called Congress for Equality and Change (CEC), led by former Senate President Ameh Ebute, was formed. He said this group aimed to ensure fairness and change in Nigeria. He said over 400 people, including retired generals like General Lekwot, General Dogonyaro, and General Bamaiyi, attended the inauguration of CEC, showing strong support for its goals
In Pa Clark's words: "There was a time in the beginning during the time we had the president of Nigeria, ill in Saudi Arabia – President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. And so we had many groups, the Yoruba groups, the South-South, the South-East group, everybody saying that Jonathan should be made to act. And then we had what we call Congress for Equality and Change (CEC) led by former President of the Senate, Ameh Ebute, that was the name we gave to it"