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He’s Just One Of 48 Ministers – Wike In Trouble As Powerful Elder Statesman Tells Tinubu What To Do To FCT Minister

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3 years ago

December 12, 2023

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He’s Just One Of 48 Ministers – Wike In Trouble As Powerful Elder Statesman Tells Tinubu What To Do To FCT Minister

wike tinubu

Once again, elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and rein in the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Edwin Clark1

In an open letter addressed to the President on Monday, the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) emphasized that Wike is just one of the 48 ministers in the President’s cabinet.

Clark urged President Tinubu to ensure that Wike focuses on his responsibilities as the FCT minister and refrains from attempting to control the political structure in his home state, Rivers State.

He said, “As a member of your cabinet, you may need to call this minister to order to face the work in the quietness which is demanded of him.

“He should focus on his office and know that he is just one among a cabinet of 48 persons, besides the Vice President and yourself.

“The country has enough problems which your government must sit down to solve. The FCT itself is full of challenges all over and he has more than he can chew and therefore avoid these distractions.”

Clark emphasized that if all former governors insist on controlling their successors, it could lead to chaos in the country. This statement came in response to a recent political crisis in the oil-rich South-South state, where 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday.

The 27 lawmakers were reportedly loyal to Martins Amaewhule, an ally of Nyesom Wike, the former governor of the state until May 29, 2023. The political turmoil in the state has revolved around a Speakership tussle between Amaewhule and another member, Edison Ehie, who is aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

In October, the Assembly, under Amaewhule, served an impeachment notice on the governor and removed Ehie as the House leader. In response, members loyal to Fubara immediately impeached Amaewhule and appointed Ehie as the new Speaker.

The crisis in the 32-member Assembly originated from a rift between Fubara and his predecessor, Wike. While the President had attempted to mediate in October, meeting with both Wike and Fubara, the recent defection of 27 lawmakers from the PDP to the APC adds a new layer of uncertainty to the political landscape of the state.

In his letter to the President, the PANDEF leader remarked that the situation was far from resolved and appeared to be worsening with each passing day.

He emphasized the critical importance of Rivers State to the stability of the Niger Delta and the overall national economy, highlighting that any escalation of lawlessness would be detrimental to the collective interest.

Expressing surprise, the elder statesman noted that despite an apology from Fubara to Wike, the latter continued to make public statements that raised concerns.

Clark said, “On one occasion, he stated that ‘impeachment is not a military coup”, ‘a total outrage when all hands are on deck to consolidate this democracy under your leadership.

“In fact, in his recent interview held on Friday, 24th November, 2023, the Minister charged to one of his group of guests that the Governor is ungrateful, concluding that ‘I cannot stand ingrates’.

“He continued stating how he had helped the Governor to become what he had become today and threatening publicly that he would continue the fight if the Governor ‘changes the structures which I left in the state’.”

The nonagenarian questioned the rationale behind the FCT minister retaining political structures and for what objective. He recollected that Wike had vehemently opposed the idea of godfatherism, considering it entirely unacceptable, which had led to a fallout with his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi.

“So, what purpose are the structures supposed to serve when there is a governor in place? This is a question that he owes you and all Nigerians.

“If all governors who as a matter of right, insist on allowing their favoured candidates as successor, insist on controlling them, insist on controlling the State Assemblies, insist on controlling the structure which they left behind, what manner of confusion will we have in Nigeria?” he queried.

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