Elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark has alleged the national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Ganduje and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Ambassador Illiya Damagum, are conniving with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike to sabotage the administration of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Clark, a former minister of Information and senator, made the allegation in an open letter he wrote to Ganduje and Damagum dated May 20.
The letter made available to LEADERSHIP was titled, “E.K. Clark Accuses The National Chairman Of The All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr Abdullahi Ganduje And The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Amb. Umar Damagum Of Planning With Nyesom Wike To Sabotage The Elected Government And Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara In Rivers State; Their Party Executives Should Call Them To Order.”
Clark, in the letter, said Ganduje and Damagum 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 State particularly the PDP.
Clark, who accused Ganduje of recognising the APC camp loyal to Wike, also upbraided Damagum for turning a blind eye to the anti-party activities of the FCT minister in the state.
He advised the two chairmen to withdraw from “the madness of politics of Rivers State to avoid the dangerous crisis facing Rivers State, one of the most important states producing the resources used to sustain the economy of this country.”
The Niger Delta leader added that it was absurd that Wike was assuring the lawmaker representing Ogu-Bolo constituency in the House of Assembly who defected from PDP to APC that nobody can remove him, which is contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
He said, “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?”
“Listening to Wike who is a self imposed leader of the party PDP and the champion of madness in Rivers Politics is also controlling the ruling party APC by appointing a caretaker committee under the former Chief of Staff to Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Tony Okocha, while he is not the legitimate chairman of APC in Rivers State.
“The legitimate Chairman Emeka Beke was suspended and was replaced with Chief Tony Okocha, because of his close relationship with the Leader of APC in the state, in person of Rt Hon Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.
“Chief Tonye Cole, the APC gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State also belongs to the elected executives. Nyesom Wike, in order to impress the Presidency and APC in Abuja, decided to create the Chief Tony Okocha led caretaker committee with which he now deals with the APC in Rivers State with the approval of the National Chairman of APC.
“One may be tempted to ask the National Chairman of APC why he chose to deal with a caretaker committee of APC which the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike had earlier presented the committee to him in the APC secretariat in Abuja before constituting it as a caretaker committee.
“But curiously, you now deal with a caretaker committee instead of the elected Chairman. I hope you are aware of the court action filed against you and APC by the elected Chairman of APC in Rivers State, Emeka Beke.
The old APC members by law are the APC leaders because they were never removed before the illegal caretaker committee was imposed on Rivers State, who are loyalist to Wike. The legally constituted executives are in court, challenging the imposition of the caretaker committee on Rivers State chapter of the APC by the NWC.”
Clark said by this statements, Wike made it clear that he is at work in Rivers State to intimidate, harass and disorganise the state in order to replace Governor Fubara with the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Martins Amaewhule, through impeachment.
Addressing the PDP acting national chairman, Clark Said “Amb Damagum cannot honestly claim to be unaware of this grave anti-party activities being executed by Nyesom Wike, when he (Wike) secretly took court injunction against founding and senior members of PDP and senior officials from Rivers State like, the former National Chairman of PDP Prince Uche Secondus, His Excellency Celestine Omehia, former Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon Austin Okpara who was Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in Abuja, Dr Abiye Sekibo, former Minister of Transportation, Sen Lee Maeba, etc in order to prevent them from attending the PDP NEC meeting of 18th April, 2024.
“Every attempt made by these victims of oppression to vacate the injunctions did not succeed. Hon Sokari Goodboy, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly representing Ahoada West who did not defect to APC was arrested on 18th April 2024 at the NEC meeting.
“Prince Uche Secondus has been a member of PDP since inception and he has acted as Organising Secretary, Deputy Chairman and National Chairman and one of those responsible for Wike’s election as Governor of Rivers State in 2015.”
Clark however appealed to the chairmen to, in the interest of peace and stability in Nigeria, disassociate themselves from the plan by Wike to bring down the Government of his successor, Governor Fubara.
“I strongly advise 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.”
