Elder statesman Edwin Clark came under scathing criticism yesterday for calling for the arrest of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike over the latter’s threat to state governors meddling in Rivers lingering crisis.
Chief Clerk called for the immediate arrest of the former Rivers’ governor for threatening to ‘put fire’ in the states of any Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor interfering in the affairs of Rivers PDP.
But Wike’s ally and ousted Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area Dr. Chidi Lloyd fired back at the Ijaw leader, describing his intervention as self-centred.
Last weekend, Wike who spoke at the PDP Rivers State Congress warned that he had the capacity to cause crisis in any PDP-controlled state working with his successor Governor Siminialayi Fubara to take over his PDP structure in Rivers.
In an open letter to Inspector-General (IG) Kayode Egbetokun, Clark described the minister’s utterance as an incitement of the people against constituted authorities, which according to him, passed for treason.
He said Wike had in so many ways breached the constitution and that he should be arrested and prosecuted.
Clark, who urged the police boss to act fast to avoid a breakdown of law and order, said the words of the minister amounted to a “flagrant disrespect to the person of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who appointed him.”
He added: “That is with respect to the recent open threat by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who happens to be the former governor of Rivers State to “set fire” in some other states.
“Even more serious is the fact that this is a violation of the laws of the country as it stands now. Wike as a lawyer should have known better.
“As one who has been in this same profession for more than 60 years, and as an elder statesman, I know that one of the greatest offenses that can be committed is to incite anarchy and threaten constituted authority of the state, as it is a sure means of inciting and causing unfavourable response in those states especially amongst the youths against the government in power either at federal or state level.
“As a matter of fact, what Wike has done is a form of treason as he is inciting his supporters and those in the other state to rise up against constituted authority.
“Let me also remind you that the laws of this country, especially the Public Officer Protection Act (1957) provides protection for public officers from harm, intimidation and violence.”
“I’ve done my homework; I’m about 60 years at the bar, even though I’m not a SAN because I was doing Government jobs. There are various laws of this country Wike has breached.
“I’ve even got some senior lawyers to help me, who have now discovered that Wike has breached a number of Nigerian laws, public laws, and so on, has committed crimes.”
But Lloyd said Clark had displayed crass ignorance to figurative use of words and wondered how he once became the minister of Information.
Describing Clark as a non-member of the PDP, Lloyd recalled that Clark flayed the candidature of Fubara during the primaries and said he was not a true Ijaw man.
He said Clark might be thinking that he is the Asiwaju (leader) of the Niger Delta.
Lolyd said Clark and other envious leaders in the Niger Delta were after Wike because of his political foresight of identifying Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next President and working with him during the election to actualise the mandate.
Lloyd said: “He should be in his village and not in Abuja. We have restrained ourselves from talking to an old man. To set the record straight, if Edwin Clark is truly who he thinks he is, he should be living in his village in Kiagbodo.
“He is one reason why the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has not achieved anything since inception because he sees it as his personal estate. Clark is still under the megalomania of thinking that he is the Asiwaju of the Niger Delta.
“At this age, Clark should be reconciling with those he has hurt. He should leave Wike alone. We know why the tantrums are being thrown at Wike. It is because of his political flight. Wike was able to discern and knew on time that Tinubu would be President of Nigeria and aligned with him.
“So, they think that it should not have been Wike that has this foresight. All the things you see happening to Wike is because of his political sagacity, which identified Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.
He said they were also jealous that since coming on board the administration of Tinubu, the minister Wike had been given the necessary Presidential support to deliver his vision for the FCT.
Lloyd said: “Since coming on board the administration Wike has added value because the President had also given him the free hand to deliver. The President and governor Wike share a lot in common which is the betterment of Nigeria and its people.