Chief Edwin Clark, the South-South leader and Elder Stateman on Tuesday said when he first heard of the rumoured news of the demise of the former Military Head of State, Yakubu Gowon he almost gave him a heart attack.

New Telegraph reports that the news reports on Monday evening suggested that the former Nigerian leader had passed away at the age of 89.

Hours after the news broke on the internet, the media aide to the former military leader, Adeyeye Ajayi in a statement issued confirming that Yakubu Gowon is alive and well.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Clark revealed that he was deeply concerned and distressed upon hearing the rumour of Yakubu Gowon’s death. However, his concerns were relieved after he spoke with Gowon on the phone and confirmed that the former military leader was alive and well.

The convener of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) explained that he experienced a nervous breakdown when he first heard about the rumoured death of the former military leader.

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Clark urged Nigerians to work towards building a nation where people from any region are not treated as second-class citizens.

He said: “The social media yesterday almost caused an attack on me when they announced that General Yakubu Gowon was gone.

“I had a breakdown only to discover that it was not true when Gen. Gowon phoned to say that ‘I’m still alive, I’m still enjoying this country and the position I am’.

“So what Am I saying? Let us build up a country where people from an aspect of the country are not subjected to the position of second-class citizens.”

New Telegraph recalls that Clark served as the minister of information under the military administration of Gowon in 1975.