Again, Edwin Clark Urges Constitutional Compliance in Rivers Political Crisis

**Insists, defection by 27 lawmakers disqualifies them as members of Rivers House of Assembly

Niger Delta elder statesman and leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has expressed his deep concern over the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, which was triggered by the defection of former Speaker Martins Amaewhule and 27 other lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement issued on the matter on Monday Chief Clark strongly criticized the actions of the defecting lawmakers, citing Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates that lawmakers vacate their seats if they defect from the party that sponsored their election, unless there is a nationally recognized division within the party. 
Clark made it clear that the defections, which occurred on December 11, 2023, have led to the automatic disqualification of the lawmakers from the Rivers State House of Assembly, rendering any further actions by them legally null and void.
Chief Clark traced the crisis back to tensions between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. 
Clark alleged that Wike, now the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had sought to control the current administration, causing a breakdown in their political relationship. 
This rift was further exacerbated on October 29, 2023, when unknown assailants set fire to the Rivers State House of Assembly building. Following this incident, Amaewhule and the defecting lawmakers began pursuing legal means to cement their positions, despite their constitutional disqualification.
Clark further accused the defecting lawmakers of manipulating the judicial system to remain in power. 
He claimed that they had filed multiple contradictory affidavits and withheld key information regarding their defections from the court, thereby obtaining rulings that favored their positions. 
Chief Clark described these actions as a “flagrant abuse of court processes” and called for an investigation into both the lawmakers’ conduct and the judiciary’s role in the matter.
The elder statesman also directed his criticism at Nyesom Wike, accusing the former governor of intentionally creating instability in Rivers State. Clark alleged that Wike had used a combination of intimidation and inflammatory rhetoric to destabilize the current administration, further deepening the political crisis. 
He urged the federal government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to intervene and ensure that Wike’s actions did not go unchallenged, stressing that such behavior was a direct violation of constitutional principles.
Chief Clark reiterated that the Constitution must prevail and that the defectors’ actions were unconstitutional from the moment they changed political allegiance. 

He called for a swift judicial review of all legal actions taken by the defectors and their supporters, demanding that any rulings obtained through fraudulent means be nullified.

In conclusion, Chief Clark called on all political stakeholders in Rivers State to prioritize the rule of law and work towards restoring peace and stability in the state. 
He urged President Tinubu to ensure that all political leaders in the state adhered to the principles of constitutional governance and refrained from actions that could undermine the democratic process.
“This political crisis is a critical test for our democracy,” Chief Clark concluded. “We must resolve it in a manner that upholds fairness, justice, and the supremacy of the Constitution.”