Elder Statesman Edwin Clark Accuses Nyesom Wike of Disrupting Peace in Rivers State

Elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark has accused Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCT), of being unready to sustain peace amidst the political crisis in the state.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, Clark asserted that Wike’s ongoing activities were clear indications that he is not committed to peace in Rivers State.

The crisis in Rivers State prompted intervention from President Bola Tinubu, who presented an ‘8-point pact’ to both parties involved.

The pact called for the withdrawal of all court cases related to the matter, in line with the 1999 Constitution and the wishes of the people of Rivers State and Nigerians at large.

While Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his allies, including the court-recognized Speaker Edison Ehie, complied with the agreement, the 26 decamped legislative members who had filed cases in court refused to do so.

This refusal led to a judgment delivered by Justice James Omotoso on January 22, 2024, which nullified the 2024 Budget presented by Governor Fubara, passed, and signed into law.

Justice Omotoso’s judgment was based on the legislators’ failure to provide evidence of a settlement of the matter before him.

Clark noted that Fubara’s compliance with Tinubu’s directive, despite its conflict with the Constitution, was done for the sake of peace, albeit in violation of the law.

Clark, an influential figure in the Ijaw community, criticized Wike for not upholding the Constitution and for allegedly disrupting peace in Rivers State.

He urged Tinubu to intervene and advise Wike to allow Governor Fubara to govern the state peacefully, emphasizing the need for adherence to constitutional processes in resolving the political crisis.