Suspend G7 Governors, Clark Tells Tukur

                                                     Bamanga Tukur

Elder statesman and former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, Thursday called on the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to drag the seven governors who formed a splinter group from the mainstream PDP to the party’s disciplinary committee headed by Alhaji Umaru Dikko.

He also described the visit of the All Progressive Congress (APC) including former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd); national leader of APC, Senator Bola Tinubu and others as a show of shame.

Addressing a press conference in his residence, Clark charged Tukur to ensure discipline within the party.

He said, “My national chairman, the PDP is the governing party in the country.  You have a duty therefore, to prevent the distraction, the insolence and the tension being created by these governors, who have no regard for you and the National Working Committee [NWC].

You must do something immediately to save the image of this great party.”
According to Clark, “Lamido, Amaechi and their counterparts from Sokoto (Aliyu Wamakko), Adamawa (Murtala Nyako), Kano (Rabiu Kwankwaso) and Niger (Babangida Aliyu) are not behaving like disciplined party members and should be made to toe the party line or get kicked out. The party is greater than any other party leader including yourself.

“On the errant governors, the PDP must be firm, resolute, and discipline must be enforced.  Nobody is above the law.  Any errant member of the party must be brought to book. Everybody is ambitious, they want to be this or that, and there is no law and order.  There is no respect for the party.  Nobody controls them. Everyone of them makes speeches.  There must be discipline.”

On a specific note, he said, “Amaechi in particular, has no regard for the PDP.  He has become supreme.  He no longer has regard for his party.  That’s indiscipline.  Either he gets out of the party, or he toes the party line.  That arrogance must be stopped and his open romance with the opposition must also stop.  His financial contribution to the opposition must also stop.

“Aliyu, Wamako, Kwankwaso and Nyako are trying to make this country ungovernable for President Goodluck Jonathan, in the name of ‘gang of seven’. I think if they are loyal party members and they are dissatisfied with the party’s administration, their consultation should be limited to the party hierarchy and, of course, there is a Party Reconciliation Committee headed by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson.They are not faithful to the party and they have their secret agenda.

“ It is amazing to see these seven governors parading themselves as saints when, in fact, most of them breached the party’s constitution to be installed as governors of their states by the former President in 2007.

"Most of them were not elected in the primaries. Curiously, this gang of seven governors should focus their attention on the security crisis facing their states.”

He explained that some of G7 governors do not even care for the welfare of the victims of Boko Haram in their state, stating that instead of staying in their states, they are moving from state to state causing confusion and tension.  I think they should be ashamed of themselves for a mission unaccomplished.  They should be suspended immediately and referred to the disciplinary committee.  Nobody is greater than the party, Even the President is not.”

I wish to condemn the activities of the 11 Governors of APC and their leaders in their open and offensive lobbying of the G7 to join them without decency and their action may create crisis leading to insecurity."

On the visit of the APC leaders, to Port Harcourt, Clark described it as a show of shame, saying:, “According to the Police and the airport authority, Amaechi and his supporters invaded the Tarmac of the airport which is a “no go area” for none passengers and planes which were to land in Port Harcourt, have to be diverted to other Airports.

He further said, having listened to the Rivers State governor, it was difficult to understand whether he was intoxicated with power or something was wrong with him when he made sarcastic, irresponsible and senseless remarks that he will consult the President before responding to APC’s request to join them and that day, the new stadium which will take 40,000 people will be filled to capacity. I will not be surprised, the tension and the pressure is now responsible for his cracking.”