- Clark To Wike: “Stop Tormenting Fubara“
- Wike To Clark: “Fubara Should Obey Me!”
By Abiola Olawale
Elder statesman, former Federal Commissioner (Minister) for Information, and a prominent South-South leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a two-term governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, are currently locked in heated war of words over the current political crisis besetting Rivers State.
Clark, in an open letter, had warned the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Damagum, about Wike.
Clark, the national leader of the Ijaws, warned Damagum to withdraw his support for Wike, declaring that the Minister has been allegedly working against the PDP.
According to him, the modus operandi of the country’s opposition party is wrong. Clark, who is also the Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), wondered why Damagum is supporting Wike against a sitting Governor of the party, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
He maintained that the PDP Chairman and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu are allegedly working in favour of pro-Wike lawmakers led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule to help them regain what he described as lost legitimacy.
He stated: “This is, without a doubt, my third letter to you since you took office as the Acting National Chairman of the PDP. If they do not stop meddling in the Rivers issue, Damagum and Wike will be consumed. Wike must leave the PDP if the party is to survive. I hope and pray that you will not sell your soul and conscience for monetary and worldly gain; otherwise, you, Barr Wike, and your cohorts will be consumed by the Rivers State crisis.”
The Elder Statesman also maintained that Wike should be expelled from the party on grounds of anti-party activities.
He accused Wike of showing intent to destabilise the smooth operations of the Rivers State government.
Clark continued: “Mr Acting National Chairman it is not just the National Legal Adviser of the PDP who is shocked by your actions; all well-meaning, reasonable, patriotic, faithful, and honest party members, including many Nigerians, are also shocked.
“The obvious antiparty activities of you and the National Secretary, both of whom are tools in the hands of Barr. Nyesom Wike, used with all intent to bring down the government of Siminalayi Fubara, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, as confessed by Barr. Wike himself during his recent outing at Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, the local government of Sen. George Sekibo, is palpable.”
However, Wike, in his reaction, criticised Clark for always attacking him. The Minister said he is not intimidating his successor, Fubara, challenging the governor to stand and face the crisis.
He made this known while speaking at a media briefing to mark his one year in office as FCT Minister.
Wike said: “I don’t know the party Chief Clark belongs to, but in 2014 when I came out to run, he said no because it was the turn of the Ijaws.
“He said nothing will make me win, but to the glory of God, I won.
“I wasn’t a bad person when I championed for an Ijaw man to be governor, but I have become a bad person because there are issues. There is nothing Clark has not said but I vowed never to respond.
“He spoke about southern President, which I supported; he spoke about power rotation to the South, which I believed in. So, what crime have I committed?
“In leadership, everything must not be smooth; I had my crisis when I was there. Did I blame anybody? I faced the crisis squarely. When I was there you all saw what the Federal Government did to me. Did I accuse any ethnic group? No.
“If you are in a leadership position, you should be able to stand and face the crisis, that’s what politics is all about. Sometimes it will be good and other times it won’t be rosy.”
