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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Convener, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has faulted the resolution of the meeting convened by President Bola Tinubu to address the political crisis between Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Tinubu intervened in the crisis on Monday night and brokered a peace deal between the warring groups.
Among others, it was agreed that the governor should withdraw court cases concerning the crisis and that he should represent the 2024 budget to the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly who was recognised as the Speaker.
It was also agreed that the 25 lawmakers who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for All Progressives Congress (APC) should return to the assembly and the nine commissioners who resigned should be reappointed by the governor.
But Clark condemned the agreement at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, describing it as appalling and unacceptable to the people.
The elder statesman also alleged that Fubara had been “ambushed and intimidated” into signing the agreement, adding that Tinubu’s intervention was a desecration of the constitution.
“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.
“The eight resolutions reached, are the most unconstitutional, absurd, and obnoxious resolutions at settling feuding parties that I have ever witnessed in my life. As a matter of fact, some media captured it very well when they described it as directives,” he said.
Clark also alleged that the resolutions showed that Tinubu was trying to compensate Wike for winning the presidential election in Rivers for the APC, adding that people “will resist such draconian, arbitrary and unconstitutional action by Mr President and his customer, Nyesom Wike.”
“We will go to court to challenge this so-called one-sided and oppressive action of Mr. President,” he added.