LEADER of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene and urgently arrest the political crises in Rivers State before it gets out of hand, especially regarding the House of Assembly.
Clark, who made the call during an interaction with some journalists in Abuja, on Tuesday, May 7, while stressing the need to maintain peace and order in the oil-rich state, disclosed that he had written a letter to Egbetokun, titled, ‘The threat by former Rivers State House of Assembly members to impeach the popularly elected Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara is an action that is likely to cause breach of peace and breakdown of law and order.”
Clark said he wrote the letter as a senior citizen and elder statesman who had served the country for over 70 years and would be 97 on May 25.
He stated: “It is, therefore, my duty to pray to the Almighty God at all times for the peace and stability of our great country. We own it as an obligation to support President Bola Tinubu’s government, which will be a year old on May 29.
“We must, therefore, condemn and prevent any action by an individual or group of individuals that would threaten the peace, stability and unity of this country.
“As the IGP, you have a duty to stop the former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from parading themselves and issuing provocative statements to intimidate and increase the tension in Rivers.
“It is even more disturbing that these former members of Rivers House of Assembly are carrying out their illegal activities under the the cover of some security officers in uniforms.
“I sincerely appeal to you to use your office as head of the law enforcement arm of the country to advise Mr. President and other members of the National Security Council to bring the crisis in Rivers to an end.
“This is more so as President Tinubu and all of you swore to protect and defend the constitution of Nigeria, which now appears to be overlooked, in spite of infringement being openly carried out in favour of one individual and his followers.”
The Ijaw Nation leader said it was his duty to see that the people of the region and other Nigerians lived in peace and harmony, as he believed in justice, fair play and equity, adding that it was provocative for a former governor of the state to accuse/address his fathers and leaders of the South-South as being interlopers.
Clark alleged that the former governor and the current one parted ways because of the former’s ambition to control the politics and governance in the state, noting: “The crisis deteriorated, prompting President Tinubu to midwife a peace deal between them, after the seats of 27 state lawmakers were declared vacant, following their defection to APC.
“The recent unprovoked announcement by the speaker and 26 former members of the Rivers House of Assembly might cause a breakdown of law and order in the state and the consequences may affect the region and Nigeria at large.
“I had earlier called on Tinubu to call the trouble-makers in Rivers to order to avoid this looming crisis and that the interest of an individual or small group should not supersede that of the entire country.
“The 27 former members of the Rivers House of Assembly have automatically forfeited their seats in accordance with Section 109 (1g) of the constitution of the country, and Section 1 of the constitution says the constitution is supreme.”
He stated: “According to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in a decided case in Akure Ondo State. The Supreme Court had made it very clear that it is automatic if anyone should leave the party that brought you for another party that did not sponsor your election during the remaining term of office, automatically you lose your seat.
“The high Court decided that it is automatic, once you cross from one party to another, and if there was no factionalisation in that party, no split in that party and such crises must not be at the state or local government level, it must be at the national level where the party can no longer function automatically.”
He, therefore, urged the IGP to urgently intervene before the crisis escalates beyond control.
