Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has written to the national chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Umar Ganduje, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Iliya Damagum, warning them of the activities of the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in Rivers, accusing them of emboldening him with their support.
In the letter made available to the media in Abuja on Monday, the former Minister of Information, said the party bosses are complicit in ceding the control of the Rivers State chapters of both the APC and PDP to the minister to emasculate the duly elected government of the state under Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
While asking the national chairmen to call Wike to order, Clark stated: “Dear chairmen, as a patriotic old statesman, I strongly believe that I should address this letter to you to call to order FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike because he is dancing naked in the open market in the politics of madness in Rivers State with one leg each in the two parties.
“I know both of you are fully aware and involved in the political crisis in Rivers State which is caused by Wike who is controlling the two parties in Rivers, particularly the PDP.
“I strongly advise both of you to withdraw from the madness of politics of Rivers State to avoid the dangerous crisis facing Rivers, one of the most important states producing the resources used to sustain the economy of this country.
“I hope you do not forget that the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and the deep seaport of Onne are very well established in Rivers.“
“How can the Federal Government and the two main political parties allow an individual to disrupt and cause confusion, harassment of the democratically elected Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara on the guise that he alone and not the people of Rivers State made Fubara Governor, in his provocative and inciting statement?”
The leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) noted the FCT minister’s remark that nobody can remove the defected members of the PDP from the Rivers State House of Assembly, saying: “Therefore one is tempted to guess what this dangerous, diabolical and mischievous politician can do to breach the constitution and cause a breakdown in law and order in the country. He is not in a position to amend section 109 (1g) of the constitution and he is not in a position to undermine the Supreme Court judgment which has now been firmly accepted as precedent, which binds all Courts in Nigeria.
“By his statements, he made it very clear that he is at work in Rivers State to intimidate, harass, disorganise the state in order to replace Governor Fubara with the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Martins Amaewhule, through impeachment.”
He said the PDP boss could not claim ignorance of the anti-party activities of the minister.
Noting how Wike had sponsored persons into positions and wanted to exercise complete control over them, Clark added: “This ugly godfatherism is no doubt eating into the fabrics of our democracy thereby affecting the quality of our leaders in the National Assembly and 36 states various House of Assembly and also affecting our choice of politician to man the various parastatals.
“Wike as the godfather of Governor Fubara wants him to worship God through him and not direct to God because he used him to install him as Governor.
“Recently, Governor Fubara in his public speech appreciated what Wike did for him to become the Governor of Rivers, but Wike wanted him to worship him but the Governor said I cannot worship human beings but God.
“Even though Wike said they will not resort to violence, through the use of guns, but his plans are more dangerous than the use of guns.”
The foremost Ijaw leader described such attitude as “politics of madness” where he observed that Wike had arrogated the leadership of Rivers State politics to himself “masterminding the confusion of the two parties and both of you i.e the National Chairman of APC and the Acting National Chairman of PDP are supporting his irresponsible actions because you are benefiting from the misdeeds.”
Clark further wrote that the PDP members of the Rivers State Assembly have lost their seats despite the FCT minister’s claim to the contrary.
He stated: “The support given to Nyesom Wike by both party Chairmen has made him courageous enough to intimidate and anger the Rivers State Governor and Government and this is seen as an act to overthrow the duly elected Governor, which is criminal.
“Finally, I am therefore appealing to you, in the interest of peace and stability in Nigeria to disassociate yourselves from the diabolical and mischievous plan by Wike for no just cause to bring down the Government of his successor, Governor Fubara.
“I strongly advice both of you to retrace your steps and take charge of your political parties in Rivers State and not leaving it for Wike who is neither PDP nor APC.”
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