…Says Tinubu presided a meeting that truncated, desecrated the constitution
Elder Statesman and former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark has described the eight-point resolution reached at the reconciliation meeting between the Minster of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and Rivers State governor, Siminialayi Fubara as baffling, appalling and unacceptable to the people, especially, the Ijaw ethnic nationality.
Clark in a Press Conference on Tuesday in Abuja who described the meeting as “Imposed settlement meeting” at the instance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu added that President Tinubu used the occasion to show more gratitude to Wike for “delivering” Rivers State to him during the past Presidential elections, having first gratified him by making him the Minister of FCT.
He said the invitation to the meeting was skewed to favour the Minister adding that the resolutions reached at the meeting were the most unconstitutional, absurd and obnoxious resolutions at settling feuding parties. He said that Gov. Fubura was ambushed and intimidated into submission.
He said, “The composition of the attendees of the meeting was one sided in favour of Nyesome Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), because while Martins Amaewhule, a former Speaker, (because he has automatically lost his seat the very moment he decamped to another political party), was present at the meeting, it would have only been equitable and expedient, for Edison Ehie, the Speaker as affirmed by constitutional provisions and by the granting of the court, to be in the meeting, if there were sincerity of purpose.
“The 8 resolutions reached, are the most unconstitutional, absurd and obnoxious resolutions at settling feuding parties that I have ever witnessed in my life. And for the fact that such thing was done at the Villa, the seat of the Federal Government of Nigeria, is sacrilegious, because any place housing or is a custodian of symbol of authority, ought to be sacred.
“It is obvious that Governor Siminialayi Fubara was ambushed and intimidated into submission. President Tinubu should know that with all the powers he possesses, he cannot override the Constitution. From all that transpired at the meeting, the laws of the land have not been obeyed. President Tinubu simply sat over a meeting where the Constitution, which is the fulcrum of his office as President and which he swore to uphold and abide by, was truncated and desecrated”.
Quoting relevant sections of the constitution that makes it impossible for the lawmakers to return to the House, Clark continued, “A court of competent jurisdiction has pronounced Edison Ehie as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. That Ruling has not been vacated and based on that he exercised the duties conferred on him by Section 109 (2) as quoted above, when the 27 or so members openly defected to APC, waving the flags of the party and singing President Tinubu’s campaign songs, from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
“As at today and going by the constitution, the Rivers State House of Assembly has four members who are recognized by the laws of the land. Therefore, on what premise is Mr. President saying that the 27 decamped members should go back to the House? Under what political party, the PDP or the APC. The directives of Mr. President is absurd and cannot hold water. Mr. President should be aware that Siminialayi Fubara, today, is the elected Governor of Rivers State in the same manner Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the elected President of the country. And as a Governor, Mr. Fubara possesses all the powers as conferred on him by the Constitution”.
He described as ridiculous, the “directive” of Mr. President that the names of the Commissioners who were nominated by Nyesom Wike and who resigned on their own volition, and who have lost their trust in Governor Fubara, should be represented to the Rivers State House of Assembly for clearance to become Commissioners again.
Clark said that it is unthinkable, ridiculous and unconstitutional for Mr. President to direct gov. Fubura to represent the Budget which has been passed into Law.
“By President Tinubu’s actions and directives, he has overruled the Constitution of the country; he has shaken the foundation of the country’s democracy. People lost their lives fighting for democracy in this country. Today, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has made of no effect the blood of the freedom fighters shed to salvage this country. He has thrown the country’s democracy fifty years backwards; this is unacceptable. Rather than building a strong system and society, we are building strong, invidious characters, with our national patrimony through corruption and avarice” Clark lamented.
The elder statesman said that by the directives, President Tinubu, has shown his dislike and disdain for the Ijaw people and confirmed his hatred for them.
He said that the lawmakers are not at liberty to seat anywhere and legislate for the state and faulted Tinubu for directing the state lawmakers to meeting where ever they want.
“It is the duty of the executive to provide legislative accommodation for the Houses of Assembly including the National Assembly, and not the members of the House of Assembly to choose a place to meet. It is in this vein that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in presenting his Budget to the National Assembly, recognised the FCT Minister, Nyesome Nwike, as the land lord, because he is of the executive arm of government. It is the FCT that owns the National Assembly complex and maintains it. It is, therefore, ridiculous and unconstitutional for President Tinubu to direct, in his settlement, that the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, should meet wherever they want to meet”.
He said that the people will resist any draconic, arbitrary and unconstitutional action by Mr. President and Nyesom Wike saying that the people will go to court to challenge the one-sided action of Mr. President.
