South-South leader and elder statesman, Edwin Clark, has urged the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to resist any attempts by powerful politicians to take control of state judiciaries and local governments.
Clark issued this warning in a statement released on Wednesday, raising concerns over what he described as a regrouping of anti-democratic forces within the National Assembly.
The leader of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum cautioned Akpabio to be vigilant against political figures attempting to hijack state assemblies and stifle public debates.

He stressed the need for the Senate President to halt any such attempts, noting that these politicians aim to manipulate the judiciary and local government systems in their respective states.
Clark also highlighted the politicians’ intentions to bypass constitutional provisions, particularly Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, which governs amendments.
He explained that this group is seeking to control state accounts without following due process or allowing open debate.
In his statement, Clark said, “The anti-democratic group in the National Assembly is regrouping and wants to control their various state judiciaries and local governments.
They have already won their party congresses in their states and are now waiting to take over party structures through dubious means, because they know that only the National Assembly has the power to amend the Constitution.”
He further expressed concern that these politicians are positioning themselves to influence key decisions in state assemblies, thereby undermining the democratic process.
Clark urged Akpabio to ensure that the Senate remains independent and does not fall victim to the manipulations of this powerful group.
Part of the elder statesman’s statement read: “Please permit me to bring to your attention some things that may not be handled correctly in the National Assembly, having regard to your speech in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, during the flag presentation to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates for the forthcoming state local government elections.”
Clark recalled his brief tenure as a senator in the 1980s before a military coup ousted the civilian government, noting his experience as a member of the Senate Select Committee and chair of two other Senate committees.
He drew on this experience to voice his concern over what he termed the “brazen” activities of certain politicians within the current Senate.
“As someone who has been in the Senate, it is worrisome to observe the brazen manner in which some things are being done in the Senate and National Assembly today,” Clark remarked.
The elder statesman’s warning comes amid increasing scrutiny of the relationship between the legislative and executive branches and concerns about the influence of powerful political actors in state-level governance.
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