Governor Chibuike Amaechi
Good riddance, says party RPF: Wike will destroy PDP
Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt
The Rivers State delegates to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention loyal to the State Governor Chibuike Amaechi, have said they would boycott the meeting in solidarity with the governor who was suspended by the party.
But the state chapter of the party has welcomed their decision, stating that their absence from the convention is inconsequential and would not affect the state’s delegates list.
But the state chapter of the party has welcomed their decision, stating that their absence from the convention is inconsequential and would not affect the state’s delegates list.
In its reaction to the political crisis that has engulfed the state for months, a group, the Rivers Peoples’ Forum, has raised the alarm that the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, will destroy the fortunes of the party in the state because of his alleged ambition to be governor in 2015.
Amaechi’s loyalists, in a joint press briefing in Port Harcourt yesterday, said they were appalled that the national leadership of the party was not doing anything to stop the crisis in the state but chose to suspend Amaechi illegally.
The Chairman of the state caucus in the National Assembly, Hon. Asita Honourable; the member representing Gokana state constituency in the state House of Assembly, Dr. Innocent Barikor; Commissioner for Urban Development, Dr. Tammy Danagogo; Mayor of Port Harcourt City Council, Mr. Chimbiko Akarolo, Publicity Secretary of the Chief Godspower Ake-led PDP executive, Mr. George Ukwuoma-Nwogba and the Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Area chapter of PDP, Mr. Samuel Horsefall, spoke on behalf of the delegates.
The Chairman of the state caucus in the National Assembly, Hon. Asita Honourable; the member representing Gokana state constituency in the state House of Assembly, Dr. Innocent Barikor; Commissioner for Urban Development, Dr. Tammy Danagogo; Mayor of Port Harcourt City Council, Mr. Chimbiko Akarolo, Publicity Secretary of the Chief Godspower Ake-led PDP executive, Mr. George Ukwuoma-Nwogba and the Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Area chapter of PDP, Mr. Samuel Horsefall, spoke on behalf of the delegates.
Asita, who represents Ahoada-west/Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said they were speaking on behalf of 10 members of the House of Representatives, two senators, 27 members of the state House of Assembly, 23 local government chairmen, 23 chairmen of the local government chapters of the PDP in the state and members of the state executive council.
He said: “We are aware that the mini convention of the party is on Saturday. We had hoped that the party at the centre will take steps to put things right over how our party in recent times has been gliding into disrepute.
He said: “We are aware that the mini convention of the party is on Saturday. We had hoped that the party at the centre will take steps to put things right over how our party in recent times has been gliding into disrepute.
“We have, as the duly elected delegates to the national convention of the party by virtue of our offices, come to the conclusion that because the party at the centre has failed in its duties to put the party right in the state, especially the illegal and unconstitutional suspension of our leader, the governor of the state, we believe that the best thing to do in the circumstances, in solidarity with our governor, is to boycott the convention for Saturday."
All the representatives of the different groups affirmed their boycott of the convention as stated by Asita.
But reacting to the action of Amaechi’s loyalists, the state chapter of the PDP said it was not bothered as the boycott would not affect the state’s delegates list.
All the representatives of the different groups affirmed their boycott of the convention as stated by Asita.
But reacting to the action of Amaechi’s loyalists, the state chapter of the PDP said it was not bothered as the boycott would not affect the state’s delegates list.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser, Media, to the Chief Felix Obuah-led PDP, Mr. Jerry Needam, said the boycott would rather help “filter the State delegates of infiltrators, untrustworthy elements and expelled members of the party.”
He said the boycott was not unexpected in view of the way and manner Amaechi and his followers had been carrying on, with no regard to party rules and regulations.
He said, “It is no longer news that Amaechi and his allies are acting this way as it was glaring that they have over the period been playing destructive politics and have surreptitiously, although not hidden to us, been making frantic moves to join and, or form another political party.
He said the boycott was not unexpected in view of the way and manner Amaechi and his followers had been carrying on, with no regard to party rules and regulations.
He said, “It is no longer news that Amaechi and his allies are acting this way as it was glaring that they have over the period been playing destructive politics and have surreptitiously, although not hidden to us, been making frantic moves to join and, or form another political party.
Meanwhile, the Rivers Peoples’ Forum has said in a statement signed by its chairman, Mr. Charles Bekwele, that the crisis in the state was caused by the ambition of the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, to become governor of the state in 2015.
According to Bekwele, “Nyesom Wike will destroy PDP in Rivers State. Since that young man started nursing the ambition to take over from Governor Rotimi Amaechi as governor of Rivers State, he has turned the party upside down in his bid to be governor.
According to Bekwele, “Nyesom Wike will destroy PDP in Rivers State. Since that young man started nursing the ambition to take over from Governor Rotimi Amaechi as governor of Rivers State, he has turned the party upside down in his bid to be governor.
“The crises you now see in the party and the state generally are being orchestrated, stage-managed by the junior Minister. He will destroy the PDP in Rivers State just because he wants to be governor. Wike is the one who brought Felix Obuah (the factional chairman of PDP), a man who didn’t even buy form is now installed as the party chairman.”
He called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the party leadership to “shine their eyes” and take necessary steps to save the party.
He called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the party leadership to “shine their eyes” and take necessary steps to save the party.
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