Rivers crisis: N-Delta Youth Council Urges Edwin Clark to Intervene, Lead Reconciliation
By Ezekiel Kagbala
The Niger Delta Youth Council has called on elder statesman and National Leader of Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Dr. Edwin Clark to intervene and settle the lingering crisis between the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike and his successor, Governor Siminialayi Fubara.
This was contained in a statement signed by the President of the Council, Comrade Bene Youkore Mamamu, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri, Delta State on Wednesday, June 25, 2024.
The statement lamented that "the political turbulence rocking Rivers State is affecting the entire Niger Delta in terms of unity for the development of the region".
Consequently, there is urgent need to address the growing tension which is also contributing adversely to unemployment, underdevelopment and other critical environmental issues, it added.
While urging Chief Clark to urgently wade in and lead amicable reconciliation between the warring factions, the group noted that the elder statesman "has the capacity and human capital to call both parties together for proper reconciliation".
The group however appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to facilitate a process for Chief Edwin Clark who has been speaking on the issue, to initiate an enduring reconciliation process.
The council posited that "Rivers State needs peace to thrive while other Niger Delta States are looking on the State Government to be open for negotiation".
The statement partly reads, "The Council is appealing to the elder stateman, Chief Edwin Clark to intervene and broker peace between the immediate past governor, Wike and the incumbent Governor Fubara.
"The duo are from the region and they both have political powers at their disposal to influence some level of development to the region.
"There is need for reconciliation and for both parties to speak in one voice for our region to experience another round of development.
"Wike and Fubara have the political powers that could be deployed to solve most of the problems bedeviling the region.
"The Niger Delta is bedeviled by environmental, security and infrastructural challenges that should be addressed urgently and we need the unity of all stakeholders to unite and solve problems.
"We strongly believe that Chief E. K. Clark has the capacity and human capital to call both parties together for proper reconciliation. The elder stateman is vast and understands the parties, who are also his children from one region".
It will be recalled that the oil-rich Rivers State has been embroiled in a lingering crisis following the fallout between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and the State Governor, Fubara.
