By Abiola Olawale
A former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark has called on the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Umar Ililya Damagum, to resign from his position to save the party from impending doom.
Clark, the Leader of Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum (SMBLF), in a letter addressed to Damagum, said the acting National Chairman is unable to perform his role as the leader of the PDP.
The elder statesman said it appears that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has a stranglehold on the party and that the NWC of the party has shown signs of weakness by allowing Wike to bamboozle everyone in the party as no one was ready to speak truth to power.
In the letter, the Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) also accused Damagum of engaging in anti-party activities by working for and taking instructions from Wike in his activities in Rivers State.
This was contained in a letter dated 24th April 2024 and made available to the New Diplomat.
The elder statesman’s comments came after several PDP members, including 60 lawmakers of the House of Representatives demanded the removal of Damagum over allegations that he is working with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, after several weeks of intense battle, the National Executive Committee of the party passed Damagum fit for the position, giving him a nod to continue till August, a decision many members had seen as a sign of weakness.
It would be recalled also that before the NEC meeting, Clark had written an open letter to the leadership of the PDP, warning the party against allowing the ambition of Wike to override the greater interest of the party, stressing that the minister has become an enemy of the party itself.
This is as the Leader of Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum raised alarm on impending doom, saying the egos of the politically ambitious Wike and others could lead to a potential collapse of one of the longest-standing political parties in Nigeria.
Clark had also called the party to investigate the alleged anti-party activities of Wike, saying the party needs to wield its full strength on the minister over his recent role in the party.
Read the full letter below:
My Dear Ag. National Chairman,
OPEN LETTER ON THE OUTCOME OF THE CHARADE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (NEC) MEETING OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP): A PROOF OF WIKE’S STRANGLEHOLD ON THE PARTY
Firstly, let me apologize should this letter cause you any form of embarrassment because we have never met nor spoken to each other before. However, I have followed your activities since you took over as the Acting National Chairman of the PDP.
2. I issued a press release on the eve of the just concluded NEC meeting of your party, which had not been held for a very long time, that unless some courageous and bold actions are taken at the meeting, the party will collapse. Unfortunately, my sense of foreboding was confirmed by the actions and inactions of the PDP NEC during the meeting, because at the long-awaited meeting, there was a deliberate attempt to avoid the very serious issues plaguing the party including those expressed by various stakeholders, such as the sixty (60) Members of the House of Representatives. The NEC showed obvious weakness by allowing Mr. Nyesom Wike to bamboozle everyone in the meeting. No one was ready to speak truth to power. Therefore, emphasis was put on the reconciliation committee and not on the disciplinary committee which was earlier set up under the chairmanship of His Excellency, Emmanuel Udom, immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State. It was therefore, unfortunately, Wike’s day, and a confirmation of Wike’s earlier claim that PDP approved his joining President Tinubu’s cabinet as Minister. One wonders about the sincerity of the PDP when they criticize and condemn some of the government’s policies at the center when their “strong man and financier” Nyesome Wike is a major player in the government of President Tinubu. Especially, when viewed against the backdrop of his leading the 7-man Caretaker Committee of the APC in Rivers State, led by his nominee, Mr. Tony Okocha.
I listened very carefully to my most respected friend, Air Commodore Bode George’s interview on television after the NEC meeting. I laughed at the picture he painted of the PDP as a great party with wisdom. But with due respect to him, I completely disagree with him. Of course, I know his position before and after the elections of 2023. At that time, he believed that the presidency should be zoned to the southern part of the country. Bode George, no doubt, is sympathetic with the G5, headed by Nyesom Wike on the strength that the north cannot produce the presidential candidate and at the same time the National Chairman of the party. I know as a party statesman he would prefer a reconciliation of all members of the party.
It is alleged in some quarters that Mr. Wike is very instrumental to your being appointed the Acting National Chairman, and you, therefore recognize him as your “boss”. So, it appears to some people the obvious role you embarked upon, playing down the powers of NEC. It does also appear that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), is made up of Mr. Wike’s men, which includes your good self as Acting National Chairman, the National Secretary, the National Publicity Secretary, some leaders such as Chief Dan Orbih, who unfortunately is not a cheap of the old block of his father, late Chief MCK Orbih, a great politician. We were all together in the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), in 1979.
Mr. Acting National Chairman, let me outline some of your activities which are viewed in some quarters as anti-party activities. For instance, in Rivers State, it is a well-known fact that Chief Wike had one trusted ‘brother’ in the State, and that is Siminalayi Fubara whom he chose as Accountant General during his tenure as Governor of the State, to help him look after the monetary affairs of the State. This was on 23rd December 2020.
You are aware also that Mr Wike as a result was said to be exercising some strong control over the finances of Rivers State, both from FAAC in Abuja and the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
To be in firm and total control of all, you are also aware that Mr Wike bought forms for every contesting member of the party in Rivers State; right from the Governor to the members of the House of Assembly including the members of the National Assembly.
No doubt, Mr Wike did his best to keep the party financially when the party was sailing topsy-turvy. He also majorly championed the course of Sim Fubara to become Governor of Rivers State, while other colleagues seriously opposed him. Mr Wike was able to bulldoze his way through and installed Sim Fubara as Governor. Having installed him, he gave him ‘directives’ on how to run the State; I also learned that he entered into some agreements with him, which were not in the interest of the Rivers People. As a result of these secret arrangements between master and servant, all the appointments to Governor Fubara’s Government were made by Hon. Wike and this is a well-known fact all over the country. Mr Wike decided where and who the Governor should visit, who should and should not come to the Government House, etc.
He also contributed largely to the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers State; for which he has now been compensated by President Tinubu as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
4. Today, almost all the members of the G5 were not carried along by Nyesom Wike. Apart from Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, the others have gone into oblivion. In his usual selfish ways, he did not carry along with him the other members of the G5, and apart from Governor Makinde of Oyo State, the others have gone into oblivion.
But by the Grace of God, Governor Fubara is managing to disentangle himself from the chains placed on his feet by Mr Wike and gain his freedom; and by extension freedom for the people of Rivers State.
6. Mr Chairman, you are aware of the drama that took place in the Rivers State House of Assembly on 30th October 2023, where the house was factionalized; one group supported Mr Wike while the other group was for the Governor. Those against the Governor formed themselves into a force and on the control and directive of their master 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 on Monday 11th December 2023 where they declared to be members of the APC, singing President Tinubu’s song, “On your mandate, we shall stand” and waiving the APC flag.
The other faction that did not defect elected Edison Ehie as speaker and the members who defected were removed from office. They later went to court to confirm it. It happens that you did not view it on any TV station or read it in any newspaper. The 27 members of your party were in control of the House of Assembly and in fact, the Executive headed by Governor Sim Fubara. Your party was in power. We are fully informed that the defection from PDP to APC was carried out by Chief Nyesom Wike and yourself. One may ask further, where were you when the PDP Governors under the leadership of Sen Bala Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi State pleaded with Mr Wike to give peace a chance in Rivers State?
The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria did not define what the quorum at the House of Assembly should be and it is generally agreed by the majority of senior lawyers in Nigeria. The defection of the 27 members automatically meant that their seats in the House were forfeited. The defection of the members did not close the House down because five (5) of the members did not defect with them and remained members of the House. The Rivers State House of Assembly continues to function with an acting speaker, Edison Ehie and the rest is history.
The Acting National Chairman of a party could not visit the State to find out what was happening.
The Rivers State Appropriation Bill 2024 was passed by the faction with the Governor and signed into Law by the Governor. It will therefore be a breach of the Constitution for the Governor to re-present the Appropriation Bill to non-existing members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Of course, you are aware it is unconstitutional and this matter of the presentation of the Appropriation Bill has several cases in court and it will be improper for Governor Sim Fubara to disobey the constitution and the courts.
At this juncture Mr Acting National Chairman, I repeat, one may like to know your reaction to the defection of the twenty-seven (27) members of your party who defected to the APC, even when their defection was supported by Mr President. Take note, Section 109 (1Bii) of the 1999 Constitution as amended is binding on all Nigerians, no matter the position they hold. One would have expected you to take action to contact INEC to fix a date for an election but because you and your master Mr Wike have set out to destroy PDP the collateral damage caused is already affecting the unity of PDP.
8. We are aware of the fact that Mr Wike using you, muscled the legitimately elected Members of PDP in Rivers State with Chief Desmond Akawor as the State Chairman of PDP. Chief Akawor has now been appointed as Federal Commissioner representing Rivers State in the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission. Mr Wike has refused to deal with the Acting Chairman of the State, Mr. Chukuemeka Aaron.
9. The so-called twenty-seven (27) members who were members of the Rivers State House of Assembly until their defection to APC, have been seating, and holding illegal meetings without mentioning APC or PDP. It is clear now that the so-called twenty-Seven (27) members took court action against the National Assembly, the Governor of Rivers State, and the former Speaker of the House of Assembly now Chief of Staff to Fubara; they were sued by the non-existent House but in obedience to the President declaration in the 8-point pace deal, the so-called House of Assembly refused to withdraw their actions while the Governor and the former Speaker, withdrew their defense which they had earlier filled as directed by Mr President leading to the Justice Omotosho’s Judgment which is currently being appealed against. In some quarters. The Judgement automatically made the Rivers State House of Assembly completely independent from other arms of Government. Which is unconstitutional.
10. In all these issues, you remained silent, you refused to oppose and take any legal action against the new members of APC. Your Publicity Secretary merely made two (2) public statements and that was the end.
It could be recalled that it was the Labour Party in Ondo State that took a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly to court when he defected to ADC.
11. The NWC and the NEC of PDP are fully aware of Wike using APC members to form the caretaker committee of the various Local Government areas in Rivers even though the existing members’ time was extended by the same party, PDP, for three (3) months; this has led to the Governor and well-meaning PDP members resisting this act and he is not aware that he is dancing naked in the market place. Mr Wike cannot, I repeat, eat his cake and have it. He is either a PDP man or an APC man. He must therefore be called to order.
HOW NYESOM WIKE PREVENTED SOME PROMINENT LEADING MEMBERS OF PDP NEC FROM ATTENDING THE NEC MEETING ON 18th APRIL 2024.
There is concrete evidence that the same Mr. Wike sponsored some miscreants to obtain a court injunction against some of the leading members of PDP NEC. Is it not madness, ridiculous, and mischievous for one selfish and greedy man to encroach upon the rights of fellow members of the party? I was even surprised that the NEC members were not aware of the absence of these prominent PDP members; former National Chairman, of PDP Prince Uche Secondus; Sir Celestine Omehia; Rt. Hon Austin Okpara who was Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives; Dr Abiye Sekibo, former Minster of Transportation; Sen Lee Maeba; etc.
The Acting Chairman of PDP in Rivers State, Mr. Chukwuemeka Aaron, was also prevented from attending the NEC meeting. I wonder if this is how the unity of the party is going to be maintained.
These are very important members of NEC and one of them was a National Chairman of the Party for about four (4) years. Chief Uche Secondus was the trusted political associate of Wike and it was through close association that Wike rose to become a notable PDP party man, but when Wike finally developed his ambition to become president of Nigeria, he sacrificed Secondus because the President and the National Chairman cannot come from the same region. In his usual vindictive and mischievous manner, sponsored some persons in Secondus’ Ward to suspend him from the party and went to court to confirm it. Now he has barred him from attending PDP NEC meetings by restricting him with a court injunction.
Similarly, as earlier mentioned, you have also prevented other notable Rivers State PDP politicians who were members of Wike’s kitchen cabinet who according to him were on fat monthly allowances and were also beneficiaries of contracts.
Apart from these colleagues of Wike, it was reported in the Punch of Friday, April 19th, 2024, that 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, outside the venue of NEC meeting in Abuja.
Just two days ago, after the so-called NEC meeting, and without having regard to the Governor’s Forum and the NEC’s appeal, the party was slammed with an ex-parte order issued by a federal high court in Abuja, barring the PDP NWC from reviewing Rivers State Caretaker Committee list. What is happening to our reputable judiciary, when it is clearly stated by the Supreme Court that the internal affairs of political parties, should be left for the parties to handle? If the PDP NWC and other members of the party are sincere, honest, and believe in the party, they should go to court to challenge this baseless interim order that seeks to interfere with the internal affairs of the party.
To imagine that the NEC and the NWC of the party, turned a blind eye to all that is happening in the PDP in Rivers State because it is said you have a paymaster controlling you, is unbelievable. This is a clarion call on you, Mr. Acting National Chairman, to either sit up or do the needful by resigning from the position, so that the party does not collapse on you.
Thank you.
Chief (Dr.) E. K. Clark, OFR, CON
