The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has urged the National leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark, to embrace a more inclusive strategy and refrain from a sentimental approach when tackling issues.
Damagum, who said he was not raised to be disrespectful to elders, criticized the former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader over his recent remark regarding the political crisis in the Rivers State chapter of the PDP, which involved the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Naija News reports that Clark addressed Damagum earlier in an open statement, insisting that Wike should be shown the way out of the PDP for the party’s stability.
In an open letter to the party’s leadership, Clark accused Wike of exploiting his proximity to President Bola Tinubu to pressure Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the party.
Clark asserted that he could not remain indifferent while Wike continued to intimidate the governor.
He underscored that such behaviour is unacceptable and must be confronted to safeguard the party and its members.
Clark stated, “Mr Acting National Chairman, it is not just the National Legal Adviser of the PDP that is shocked about your actions; all well-meaning, reasonable, patriotic, faithful, and honest party members, including many Nigerians, are equally shocked.
“You and the National Secretary’s obvious anti-party activities are obviously tools in the hands of Barr. Nyesom Wike used to bring down the government of Siminalayi Fubara, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, as confessed by Wike himself during his recent outing at Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, the local government of Senator George Sekibo, is palpable.
“The recent actions of Wike before and during the last meeting of the party in April show clearly that he is all out to destabilize the smooth running of the Rivers State government; he is ready to use his closeness to Mr. President to insult, intimidate and harass members of the party, especially those in Rivers State, who have decided to tow the right paths of both the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Constitution of the PDP, and who were the backbone of Barr. Wike’s government as Governor of Rivers State, for eight years.”
For months, governance in Rivers State has been nearly paralyzed due to the ongoing political feud between Wike and Fubara, both members of the PDP.
This conflict has led to a division within the State House of Assembly, with one faction, led by Martin Amaewhule, aligning with Wike, while the other, led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, remains loyal to Governor Fubara.
Despite efforts by President Tinubu and other elder statesmen in Rivers and across Nigeria, attempts to reconcile the two sides have been unsuccessful, as they continue to work against each other.
In his response, however, during the inauguration of the PDP National Reconciliation and Disciplinary Committees in Abuja, Damagum advised Clark to reflect on his age and refrain from engaging in public disputes.
“He possesses the necessary qualities to take appropriate action rather than resorting to sentimentality regarding the matter,” Damagum remarked.
He added: “I will borrow Olisah Metuh’s remarks from 2015 when Edwin Clark left the party.
“There’s no doubt that he is an elder statesman. But I thought that when you reach that age, God has given you the opportunity and wisdom to be a father to all, not to engage in public arguments.
“He has all it takes to do the needful, not by taking a sentimental approach to the situation. I was not raised to be disrespectful to elders, so I don’t intend to dwell on this further.”