Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has warned that the attitude of the 27 Rivers State lawmakers loyal to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is capable not only of plunging the state into anarchy but also consuming the nation of not checked now.
In an open letter to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, which he also presented at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, he observed that the threat by those he referred to as former lawmakers to impeach Government Siminalayi Fubara, is an action likely to cause breach of peace and breakdown of law and order urgent action is taken.
The one-time minister of information, therefore, hoped that the IGP would perform his duties “impeccably, fair and just and without any discrimination, political victimization or witch-hunting of political opponents and have the courage and ability to confront the so-called sacred cows in our society.”
While noting that all citizens have the obligation to support the government of President Bola Tinubu, the elder statesman who will be 97 years old on the 25th of May, said any action by any individual or group of individuals that would threaten the peace, stability and unity of this country must therefore be condemned.
Warning of the tiff between Wike and the state governor, he said: “We have no other country to go to if there is any uncontrollable crisis in the country and this is the main reason why I have been involved in the looming crisis in Rivers State between the former Governor Barr. Nyesom Wike who is now the minister of the Federal Capital Territory and the current Governor, His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara, which is spreading like wildfire and every attempt by Mr President to resolve it amicably has not succeeded.”
Citing various developments, Clark recalled that he had been active in matters concerning Rivers State since before Independence, pointing out: “It is indeed very provocative and insulting that Mr Nyesom Wike the FCT Minister who is the mastermind of the issues bedevilling Rivers State and who was born on the 13th of December 1967 after these two events should accuse his fathers and leaders like me of being interlopers, daring to challenge his leadership of Rivers State politics.”
He recalled the genesis of the problem between the governor and the FCT minister, saying that despite President Tinubu’s intervention, the crisis has persisted.
The foremost Ijaw leader posited:
“Nyesom Wike should therefore stop making noise about the sponsorship of Sim Fubara because he knew the reasons he supported Sim Fubara to become the governor of Rivers state to automatically centre immunity on the governor so therefore he will not be available for questioning as a prosecution witness by EFCC against Mr Nyesom Wike.”
Alleging that Wike is the mastermind to the attempt to impeach the governor, Clark recalled: “On Saturday 28th October 2023, Nyesom Wike held a meeting with the former Rivers State House of Assembly members who are under his control and directed them to move a motion of impeachment against the Governor, on Monday 30th October 2023 at an ungodly hour at about 7 am.
“The members, about 23 of them signed the impeachment motion. These same members led by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, assembled at the same venue on Monday 11th December, 2023 where they declared for APC, singing APC song and waiving APC flag. The other faction led by Edison Ehie, the leader of the House, the Speaker of the House remained legitimate members of the House while the other members automatically lost their seat in accordance with Section 109(1g) 2 of the 1999 Constitution as amended because there was no split in the PDP as defined by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in these judgements.
“Mr Nyesom Wike has been involved in politics of madness while also parading himself as a senior PDP member and fighting his rival at the PDP primaries, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. “To confirm his claims that he is still a member of PDP in Rivers State; he mobilized supporters for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which held on Thursday, 18th of April 2024 at the PDP Secretariat in Abuja and he, Wike attended the NEC meeting from beginning to the end. The report is available in the media.
“His Excellency, the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara was also present at the meetings.”
On the continuing provocative statements and actions by the “former” members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Clark told the IGP: “The recent unprovoked announcement by the Speaker and 26 former Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly might cause a breakdown of law and order in Rivers State and the consequences of such crisis will not only affect Rivers State politically, socially and economically but will also affect the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large.
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“We have enough of such crisis of all dimensions in nearly all parts of this country already and we therefore must prevent more of such crisis.
“I had earlier advised and appealed to our President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call his Minister Nyesom Wike to order to avoid this looming crisis and that the interest of the entire country should supersede the interest of an individual or a small group of people otherwise the consequences will be disastrous.
“It is in this spirit I am addressing this letter to you as the Inspector General of Police who is in charge of the peace and stability of this country. “You are therefore fully aware of the dangerous precarious situation we are facing today in this country whereby the people are no longer safe to move around, to go to their farms to feed themselves; I seriously warn that if the sanctity of the country’s constitution is not obeyed by its citizens, the consequences that will follow will be anarchy.
“The 27 former Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have automatically forfeited their seats in accordance with section 109 (1g) 2 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.”
Affirming the supremacy of the constitution, he added: “It will therefore be madness and suicidal for any responsible and patriotic Nigerian to breach the Constitution of Nigeria.”
The elders statement to the police boss that he has a duty to stop “these fraudulent former Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly”from parading themselves and issuing provocative statements to intimidate and increase tension in Rivers State which may one day burst into open conflagration.
“You also have a duty to protect the constitution of Nigeria without which there will be no Nigeria.”
Continuing, he said: “Mr Inspector General of Police, it is even more disturbing that these former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are carrying out their illegal activities under the cover of policemen in uniform on whom rest a primary duty to enforce the law. This must be very disturbing to you as it is to all responsible Nigerians.
“Finally, I sincerely appeal to you to use your office as head of the Law enforcement arm of the country to advise Mr President and other members of the National Security Council of which you are the centre, to bring this show of shame to an end and spare Nigeria from being a laughing stock to the entire world. This is more so as Mr President and all of you swore to protect and defend the constitution of Nigeria, which now appears to be overlooked despite the glaring infringement being openly carried out in favour of one individual and his followers.”
Clark also copied the letter to other security Chiefs including, National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Director General Department of State Services (DG DSS), Director General National Intelligence Agency (DG NIA) and Director Military Intelligence (DMI).
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