Ambassador Umar Damagum, Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have been warned to stay away from the Rivers issue or face repercussions.
Elder statesman, Edwin Clark, who issued this warning on Tuesday while addressing journalists about his letter to PDP Acting National Chairman, also warned Wike to stop harassing Governor Sim Fubara, stating that he will not sit back and watch Rivers state degenerate.
In an open letter to Damagum titled “Whither PDP: To be or not to be,” Clark, who accused Wike, Damagum, and PDP National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu of anti-party behaviour, stated that Wike must leave the party in order for the party to survive.
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.
Clark described Damagum and Anyanwu as Wike’s tools, claiming that the duo are usurping the power of the party’s legal adviser, particularly in their recent request that the PDP participate in the court case between Fubara and the sacked 27 pro-Wike Rivers lawmakers.
The Elder Statesman, who stated that Wike should be expelled from the party for his crime against the party, noted that the former Rivers State governor has clearly demonstrated his intent to destabilise the smooth operation of the Rivers State government by insulting, intimidating, and harassing members of the party, particularly those in Rivers State.
Clark urged Damagum to immediately form a probe panel/committee to investigate members such as Barr. Nyesom Wike and, if found guilty, to face the appropriate sanctions outlined in the party’s constitution, rather than forming a Reconciliation Committee chaired by Maj. Gen. Oyinlola.
He urged Damagum to rid himself of all wrongdoing, noting that he is conspiring with PDP detractors to destroy the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC). Clark also asked him (Damagum) to stop conspiring with Wike to destroy the party, saying that a day of reckoning would come for all of man’s actions.
In his open letter to Damagum, Clark stated that “the title that I decided to give to the book has even become more expedient now due to the anti-party activities of Barr. Nyesom Wike, yourself, and the party’s National Secretary, Mr. Samuel Anyanwu. The three of you’s recent very obvious anti-party activities have sent a shock wave through the nation.
Clark went on to say, “Mr. Acting National Chairman, in fact, 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 obviously 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.
“The recent actions of Barr. Wike before and during the last meeting of the party in April, shows clearly that he is all out to destabilise the smooth running of the Rivers State government; he is ready to use his closeness to Mr. President to insult, intimidate and harass members of the party, especially those in Rivers State, who have decided to tow the right path of both the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Constitution of the PDP, and who in
“Section 1 of the country’s 1999 Constitution states that the Constitution is supreme. It states, “Section 1(1) This Constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Clark quoted relevant sections of the Constitution to support his claim that defectors automatically lose their seats, saying, “my dear Acting National Chairman, I am sure you have read all of these sections of the constitution, including Section 109 (1) (g). You have a degree in education and have served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Romania. So, you have had enough education and exposure to understand what those sections are saying. To give effect to section 109, the Supreme Court ruled that defections in the House of Assembly under the prescribed conditions result in automatic loss of seats and no reversion.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was properly informed of the members’ defection. However, you and your National Secretary wrote a letter to the Court of Appeal with the intention of violating that provision of the constitution. This is a crime against the state in and of itself, and is unbecoming of someone who holds the high office of national chairman of a political party.
He chastised Wike for insulting and intimidating party leaders, particularly Sen. Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, when he demanded that actions be taken against members engaging in anti-party activities.
He claimed Wike’s tactic is to try to cow and intimidate people into submission, to silence them, so that they will withdraw from a just cause, giving him room to demonstrate his arrogance when he realises he cannot buy such people with money.
“Barr. Nyesom Wike’s arbitrary nature knows no bounds. In fact, his actions and attitudes have become unconstitutional. His desire to control Rivers State through ‘his structure’ violates Section 1 (2) of the 1999 Constitution, which states: ‘The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be governed, nor shall any person or group of persons take control of the government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.’
“As a lawyer and bencher, Barr. Wike should be aware that he is violating the country’s Constitution and that of his party, the PDP.
Barr. Wike’s actions in Rivers State, aimed at preventing Siminalayi Fubara from serving as Governor, are a clear attempt to seize control of a portion of the country.
He stated: “The purpose of this open letter, therefore, Mr. Acting National Chairman of PDP, is:
“To call on you to immediately set up a probe panel/committee to investigate members such as Barr. Nyesom Wike, and if found guilty, to face the appropriate sanctions as prescribed by the party’s constitution, rather than establishing a Reconciliation Committee under the chairmanship of Maj. Gen. Oyinlola, with whom I discussed and asked him whom he is reconciling, because the G-5 members have disintegrated. While the Governor of Oyo State, who was a member of the G-5, has fully returned to his party and is now the party’s leader in the South-West, the other three are still floating around.
“I urge you to also rid yourself of all wrongdoing. As Acting National Chairman of your party, you took your party’s NWC to court over the defection of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, claiming that because they properly left the PDP, they are still members of the party, despite the fact that the 27 members publicly declared that they had defected and had already been received by the APC.
“Mr. Acting National Chairman, your position contradicts Section 109’s position. You sued your party’s National Executive Committee, which you preside over. However, you maintain the presence of mind to remain in the office and earn the benefits that come with it. From all indications, you are conspiring with PDP detractors to destroy the party for the All Progressives’ Congress (APC). Allow Nigerians to choose their preferred party at the ballot box.
“Stop conspiring with Barrister Nyesom Wike to destroy the party. A day of reckoning will come for all of humanity’s actions.
“Therefore, let me reiterate that a probe panel should be established to investigate Barr. Nyesom Wike’s obvious and open antiparty activities, as well as for insulting the party’s foremost leader, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the Party’s Board of Trustees, which is the party’s soul. In fact, he should be expelled from the party for his anti-party actions.
“I also want to use this platform to urge all responsible and reasonable PDP party elders and members to take a bold step to remove Barrister Wike from the party. He is not above the festivities. He should be removed from it.
Clark, on the other hand, claims that Wike, who previously criticised Ben Ayade and others who defected to APC, is now dancing in APC, believing he will be the next President in 2027, and that the same Wike who said APC is cancerous is now dancing to Tinubu’s song in the kitchen.
Clark, who claims Wike controls the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, not to let his boys be used by Wike.
