Rivers Crisis: How Jonathan, Wife, Others Imposed Wike As Governor, Edwin Clark Speaks
- Ijaw leader Edwin Clark has waded into the current political crisis in Rivers state involving Nyesom Wike and his political godson, the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara
- Clark cautioned the senator who represented Rivers East Senatorial District, George Sekibo, to be cautious about his comments on Wike and Fubara’s feud
- The elder statesman who spoke on Wike’s emergence gave the advise in an open letter to the senator, which was also sent to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, SGF George Akume, and Fubara
TheTalk.NG journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Edwin Clark, South-South Leader, has opened up on how Nyesom Wike emerged as the governor of River state.
Edwin Clark speaks on how Jonathan imposed Wike as Rivers governor.
Photo credit: Edwin Clark, Goodluck Jonathan, Nyesom WikeSource: Facebook
Rivers crisis: Clark tackles George Sekibo
The Ijaw leader disclosed that in 2015, after the tenure of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state, former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, pleaded with the people of the state, in addition to those outside the state, to support Nyesom Wike for governorship, though it was the turn of the people of Ijaw.
According to the elder statesman, aside from God, the biggest players who supported Wike to rise to his political level today were the Ijaws, including himself, Vanguard reported.
Clark: Wike benefitted from Ijaw people in 2015
He added that as Rotimi Amaechi’s government came to an end in 2015 after eight years, the Rivers Ijaws again insisted that it was their turn to take over governance in Rivers state, and this time, the consensus was general among the people.
Speaking further, he noted that former President Jonathan pleaded with the Ijaws that they needed to give Wike a chance during an election year in which he was seeking to return to office at the centre.
Clark noted that it was a shock to the entire Ijaw people in Rivers state and in all the other states, but they had to soft pedal and support Wike to contest in respect for Jonathan and his wife as well as for the sake of peace, said as at that time, Wike’s highest position before coming to Abuja was as local government chairman and later Chief of Staff to Amaechi, who was his kinsman.
The prominent Ijaw leader, made this revelation on Sunday, June 9, as he cautioned the senator who represented Rivers East Senatorial District in the 9th Senate, George Sekibo, to be cautious about his comments on the current political crisis in the oil-rich state, ThisDay reported.
Rivers crisis: Edwin Clark speaks on Tinubu’s peace deal
TheTalk.NG reported earlier that Ijaw leader, Edwin Clark, on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, condemned the terms of the resolution of the feud between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Nyesom Wike.
The elder statesman said the resolution is unacceptable, particularly to the Ijaw ethnic nationality.
Source: TheTalk.NG
