Renowned legal luminary, Robert Clarke (SAN), challenges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s involvement in the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State, emphasizing the absence of any constitutional mandate for such interference.
In an exclusive interview with ARISE NEWS, Clarke asserts that the President lacks a constitutional role in the power struggle between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike.
Clarke contends, “The constitutional role of the President in all this fracas – there should have been none. Because we were not expecting it, none had been provided for.”
He highlights historical context, stating, “The only constitution that allows the Federal government to put its mouth in a local thing is during the first republic when a declaration of emergency was declared in the west.”
Clarke categorically denies any legal basis for presidential intervention, stating, “The president has no power, he knows that. The best legal brain cannot help him.”
The legal expert questions the lack of constitutional provisions, stating, “You can’t bring Robert Clarke to come and change the law to enable the president to come and intervene. Under what constitutional provisions? So, the law by itself as of today did not provide (a constitutional right for Tinubu to intervene in State matters).”
The crisis in Rivers State, marked by a political face-off between Governor Fubara and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, took an unexpected turn when President Tinubu facilitated a resolution meeting. The meeting, held at the State House in Abuja, involved key stakeholders and resulted in signed agreements to address the tensions in the state.
