Former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has called on the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Iliya Damagun, to expel the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike, from the party.
Clark believes that this drastic step is necessary to safeguard the future of the PDP.
In an open letter addressed to Damagun, Clark accused the former governor of Rivers State of leveraging his close ties with President Bola Tinubu to intimidate the current Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and undermine the party’s stability.
Clark, who is also the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), shared the contents of his letter during a press briefing at his Asokoro residence in Abuja on Tuesday.
The elder statesman expressed his deep concern over Wike’s actions, stating that he could not stand by and allow the minister to continue harassing Governor Fubara.
Clark warned that if Wike’s conduct is not curbed, it could lead to the downfall of not only Wike himself but also other members of the PDP leadership.
Clark, a prominent figure in the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), emphasized his long-standing political career, which began long before Wike was born. He stressed that his experience and dedication to the PDP compelled him to speak out against Wike’s recent behavior.
In a surprising revelation, Clark disclosed that he is currently working on a book titled “PDP: To Be or Not To Be.”
In it, he plans to detail the actions of Wike, whom he criticized for engaging in behavior similar to former Governors Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), and Ben Ayade (Cross River), who all defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Clark accused Wike of “dancing naked” with the ruling party, despite having previously condemned others for similar actions.
Clark also highlighted Wike’s disloyalty to those who had supported him in the past, notably former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili and his wife.
“After conceding that former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili and his wife made him what he is today and will forever remain grateful to them, he is now abusing them. I won’t allow him to destroy Rivers State,” Clark declared.
The elder statesman alleged that Wike, having failed to weaken the PDP by collaborating with the APC, is now attempting to use the party against itself.
Clark’s call for Wike’s expulsion from the PDP marks a significant escalation in the ongoing political tension within the party.
The coming days will reveal whether the PDP leadership will heed Clark’s warning and take action to protect the party’s unity.