*Damagum Replies Clark — Be Father To All, Don’t Be Sentimental
Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Iliya Damagum, has said he is being pushed to the wall, warning that if he opens his mouth, it will not be pleasant.
Speaking at the inauguration of the party’s reconciliation and disciplinary committees in Abuja, on Wednesday, Damagum also warned members to stop speaking ill of the party.
He said, “I have a responsibility to this party to keep it safe and stable. I intend to take all necessary actions to ensure the party remains stable. But I’ve reached a point where I have to speak out.
“I’ve avoided talking because I know so many things. When I open my mouth, I know it will not be pleasant, but that’s the price of leadership. I’m ready to take that bashing, more bashing.
“And to my detractors, let me tell you, you’ll see more. Because I will not abdicate my responsibility. But I will act within the confines of the law, as stipulated by the constitution.
” So I’m not deterred, You can try to bring me down, but importantly, while doing so, please remember that we have NEC.”
Damagum said, he always feels “sad any time our members go on television saying that the party is dying, not mindful of the fact that the party has remained a force to reckon with in this country. We have faced several crises, yet today, we are still standing.
“I don’t know, maybe it is the wish of some for the party to die, but honestly speaking, as a dedicated member of this party, you should always speak positively of your party.”
Addressing Clark, Damagum stated, “He has all it takes to do the needful, not by taking a sentimental approach to the situation.”
On Wednesday in Abuja Clark addressed Damagum, demanding that Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, must exit the PDP for the party to endure.
Clark expressed this in an open letter to the party’s leadership, accusing Wike of leveraging his closeness to President Bola Tinubu to exert pressure on Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the party.
As the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Clark stated that he could not remain passive while Wike continued to harass the governor.
He emphasized that such actions could not be tolerated and must be addressed to protect the party and its members.
Clark stated, “Mr Acting National Chairman, as a matter of fact, 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.
“The obvious anti-party activities of you and the National Secretary, both of whom 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, shows 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 Bola 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 during the inauguration of the PDP National Reconciliation and Disciplinary Committees in Abuja on Thursday, he advised Clark to reflect on his age and refrain from engaging in public disputes.
Damagum stated, “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.”
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