Elder statesman and former minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark has declared that the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and 27 other lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike have committed perjury by claiming to be members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a court document and denied their defection.
Chief Clark, who is also the convener of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, said that following former speaker Amaewhule and 27 other lawmakers’ defection on December 11, 2023, they deliberately refused and or failed to make their defection known to Justice Omotosho in a suit against the leadership of the National Assembly.
The elder statesman explained that the development led to the death of the suit in court, adding however, that the same lawmakers later instituted a separate case against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other bodies before Justice Donatus Okorowo on December 13, 2024, where they admitted in paragraph 9 of their affidavit that they defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a result of problems or various disagreements in the PDP.
Chief Clark, who stated these in a statement he issued on Monday, November 25, 2024 therefore said that owing to the perjury and their admittance of defection, the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers have constitutionally lost their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
In the words of Clark; “The pro-Wike lawmakers lost their seats due to their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in addition to the perjury they have committed.
“Due to the conflicting positions in the separate suits, the lawmakers have committed perjury, thus lost their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Now that the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and his 27 colleagues have confirmed in a court of law that they defected from the PDP to the APC, they have automatically lost their seats as of December 11, 2023.
“They are therefore disqualified from bringing any court action on behalf of the Rivers State House of Assembly and its members.
“Not disclosing their defection to Justice Omotosho’s court shows clearly that the case in Justice Omotosho’s court is null and void and of no effect.
“Therefore, the judgment allegedly given by Justice Omotosho in suit no: FHC/ABJ/1613/2023 is null and void as it was a judgment obtained by fraud.
“Similarly, the three-man panel that sat on Justice Omotosho’s case did not preside over any valid judgment to be reviewed or supervised by the Court of Appeal, because the case was dead long ago.
“Therefore, they resorted to using unnecessary and insulting language against the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, which is tactless and uncalled for,” he said.
Clark also alleged that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and the concerned lawmakers were doing everything possible to undermine the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
He also criticised Wike for having no respect for the Constitution of Nigeria, adding that Nigerians would one day ask the President why he allowed Wike to breach the Constitution on several occasions.
According to Clark; “Wike wants to bring down the government of Siminalayi Fubara at all costs and without justification. Everybody in Nigeria heard him threatening the government of Siminalayi Fubara, an innocent governor, and the impression is being given that some people are above the law, including the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and his 27 colleagues.
“We have respectfully appealed to President Bola Tinubu on several occasions to call Nyesom Wike to order or prevent him from breaching the Constitution of Nigeria, but unfortunately, Mr. President has failed to carry out his duty as the number one citizen of this country.”
“Nyesom Wike, who is a serving Minister in President Bola Tinubu’s government, has no regard or respect for the Constitution of Nigeria.
“Mr. President may one day be asked by patriotic Nigerians why he allowed Nyesom Wike to breach the Constitution of Nigeria on several occasions,” Chief Clark said.
