The acclaimed leader of the South-South, Edwin Clark has revealed how former President Goodluck Jonathan, and his wife and other notable politicians foisted the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike on Rivers people.
According to the elder statesman, Jonathan and his wife, Patience, pleaded with the people in different to those outside the State to support Nyesom Wike for governorship. This was even when it was the turn of the Ijaw people to rule the State.
Clark said, “Aside from God, the biggest players who supported Wike to rise to his political level today, were the Ijaws.
According to him, “As Amaechi’s government came to an end in 2015 after eight years, the Rivers Ijaws again insisted that it was their turn to take over governance in Rivers State. And this time, the consensus was general among the people.
He disclosed that at this point, “All Ijaw people under the leadership of four times Minister, Alabo Tonye Douglas, insisted on an Ijaw man. This is against the backdrop that this was only fair and just. And so, many Ijaw sons and daughters with all manners of qualifications presented themselves.
Clark pointed that almost all of the personalities that had presented themselves had held top positions. That was both at the State and Federal levels as no one doubted the fact that it was the turn of an Ijaw man.
These were contained in an open letter dated June 9, 2024, and addressed to Senator George Sekibo. The letter was also made available to journalists yesterday in Abuja.
According to the letter, Clark, warned the Senator on the need for caution in overstating the role of Wike in Rivers politics with regard to the Ijaws.
He stated that at that time, the people of Ijaw emphasized that it would be very unfair for them, being the majority, to be shut out for a period of 16 years. That is if another Ikwerre man took power to make it 24 years.
Clark informed that former President Jonathan pleaded with them that they needed to give Wike a chance. That was because, Jonathan was seeking reelection as President.
Clark’s letter was a response to the press release by Senator Sekibo after his visit to the Ijaw National Congress, INC, leader, Prof. Benjamin Okaba.
The leader of Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF, copied President Bola Tinubu. He also copied the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume and Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
Recall that Sekibo who spoke on behalf of the leaders at the visit had said the Rivers Ijaw People’s Congress, RIPCO, was in support of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Nyesom Wike. He stated that Wike has demonstrated his love for the Ijaw nation contrary to claims in some quarters. The Senator, therefore, attributed that to the political crisis rocking Rivers State.
But reacting to the Senator Sekibo, Clark described the statement as a shock to the entire Ijaw people in Rivers State. He stated that they had to soft pedal and support Wike to contest in respect for Jonathan and his wife as well as for the sake of peace.
Clark maintained that as at that time, “Wike’s highest position before coming to Abuja was as Local Government Chairman. He also, later served as Chief of Staff to Amaechi, who was his kinsman.
The Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, also revealed that subsequently, Amaechi appealed to Jonathan to make Wike a minister. That was how Wike emerged as Minister of State, Education. He later acted as the minister of Education, when Prof. Ruqayyah Rufa’i was removed.
Clark, therefore, asked Sekibo and his group to exercise caution in the way and manner they go about with the affairs of the FCT Minister.
He accused Wike of being a man of contradiction and inconsistencies. These, he had exhibited during the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries where he vowed to support whosoever emerged as candidate. He also vowed not to be Minister, and to his scathing excoriation of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Recall that Wike had once likened APC to a cancerous party.
Therefore, Clark said everything Wike supposedly stood for have been repudiated by his fickle mindedness.
source: Vanguard
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