South-South leader Edwin Clark has raised alarm over a potential scheme by influential politicians to seize control of state judiciaries and local governments.
In a statement released on September 25, 2024, Clark urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to take immediate action to prevent this perceived hijacking of democratic institutions.
Clark’s concerns focus on reports that certain political figures are attempting to manipulate state assemblies to remove oversight on state finances without proper debate, in violation of Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.
He emphasized that these individuals, having won recent party congresses, are poised to disrupt party structures through underhanded tactics, given that the National Assembly has the authority to amend the Constitution.
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“The information floating around town is that this dangerous, anti-democratic group in the NASS is regrouping,” he stated. “
Clark called on Akpabio to ensure that public debates in state houses of assembly are not controlled by ambitious politicians, stressing the necessity for all branches of government to adhere to constitutional mandates.
