Clark warns against allowing anti-democratic groups hijack NASS

South-South leader Edwin Clark has called on the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio not to allow powerful politicians to hijack state judiciary and local governments.

The leader of the Southern and Middlebelt Leaders Forum made this call in a statement on Wednesday.

He warned Akpabio against powerful politicians, who according to him have been regrouping for the aforementioned purpose, adding that he should endeavour to halt the hijacking of the public debates in the various state houses of assembly.

Clark said the anti-democratic group in the National Assembly is regrouping and wants to control their various state judiciary and local governments.

The elder statesman said they want state account to be removed without debate as provided for in Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution. He stressed that they have won the congresses of their political parties in their various states, and are now waiting to take over party structures through dubious means because it is the National Assembly that can amend the Constitution as provided.

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Part of the statement read: “Please permit me to bring to your attention some things that may not be handled correctly in the National Assembly, having regard to your speech in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, during the flag presentation to the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidates for the forthcoming state local government elections.

“Mr. Senate President, I am conversant with the workings of the Senate, having been a Senator myself in the 1980s, although for a few months before a military coup toppled the civilian government. As a senator, I served as a member of the top Senate Select Committee, the committee saddled with the responsibility of appointing committees of the Senate; this was in addition to being chair of two other Senate committees.

“It is on this basis that it has become quite worrisome to some of us observing the brazen manner in which some things are done in the Senate and National Assembly.”