South-South Leader, Edwin Clark, has issued a statement urging caution regarding the role of Nyesom Wike in Rivers State politics, particularly in relation to the Ijaw community.
In an open letter dated June 9, 2024, addressed to Senator George Sekibo, Clark highlighted the historical context and political dynamics that led to Wike’s rise to power.
Clark recalled that after the tenure of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi ended in 2015, former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, urged the people to support Wike’s governorship bid, despite it being the Ijaw people’s turn.
“Aside from God, the biggest players who supported Wike to rise to his political level today, were the Ijaws, including myself,” Clark stated.
Clark emphasized that as Amaechi’s administration concluded, there was a strong consensus among the Rivers Ijaws that it was their turn to lead.
“At this point, all Ijaw people under the leadership of four-time Minister, Alabo Tonye Douglas, insisted on an Ijaw man to take the lead,” he noted, highlighting the fairness and justice sought by the Ijaw community.
The letter was a response to a recent press briefing by Sekibo in Yenagoa, Bayelsa, where he and other leaders expressed support for Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Clark criticized the overstatement of Wike’s role in supporting the Ijaw nation, calling it a “shock” to the Ijaw people.
Clark detailed how the Ijaw people, out of respect for Jonathan and for peace, decided to support Wike despite their initial reservations.
“Wike’s highest position before coming to Abuja was as local government chairman and later Chief of Staff to Amaechi,” Clark pointed out, adding that Jonathan later appointed Wike as Minister of State for Education, where he eventually became acting minister.
The open letter, also copied to President Bola Tinubu, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Senator George Akume, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, stressed the need for careful consideration in handling the affairs of Wike.
Clark accused Wike of being inconsistent and contradictory, citing his behavior during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries and his subsequent alignment with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Clark’s statement serves as a reminder of the complex political landscape in Rivers State and the importance of respecting the contributions and expectations of all communities involved.
As the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Clark’s call for caution and respect for the Ijaw community’s political aspirations is a significant message to current political leaders and stakeholders.
