The Rivers State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has declared that the state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, is free to leave the party if he so desires. The Rivers PDP chairman, Felix Obuah, said this after a closed door meeting on Thursday with President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo. Mr. Obuah added that Mr. Amaechi was entitled to his opinion on issues concerning the party but if he wished to remain with the PDP, he had to learn to show respect for the party’s decisions. The National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP had suspended Mr. Amaechi from the party over his alleged refusal to heed party directives. “He has been suspended because of anti- party activities. So, I don’t want to refer to Amaechi’s matter because it is with the NWC of the party. He has all to say with the party and not me. “If he wants to remain in the party, he has to show respect. If he wants to leave, I cannot stop him,” the party chairman said, adding, “As he leaves, two will come to PDP. That’s a plus for PDP”. Mr. Obuah noted that since the governor has already taken his issues with the party to a court of law, the only possible (non-legal) road to reconciliation would be for Mr. Amaechi to apologise to the PDP. “If he shows remorse and goes to the party and apologises, we will call him back but if he still remains recalcitrant and refuses to change- we are not begging for everybody to be in PDP, that is the essence of multiple party democracy,” Mr. Obuah said. The Minister of State Education, Nyesom Wike, commenting on the issue, restated that doors will not be shut on Mr. Amaechi if he decides to comply with party rules. Mr. Wike said that there was no personal misunderstanding between him and Mr. Amaechi, and accused journalists, especially the press unit of Government House, Port Harcourt, of producing a ‘syndicated job’ which alleged that the president snubbed Mr. Amaechi during a stop-over in Port Harcourt. According to Mr. Wike, the president was happy with the reception he received at the airport from grassroots groups organised by Mr. Wike, which infuriated Mr. Amaechi causing him refer to Mr. Wike as a ‘betrayer’. The former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili, who also spoke after the closed door meeting, remarked that the crisis threatening the PDP in Rivers State is not without solution. “What is important is for us to recognize that at any point in time respect for authority, respect for the rule of law, discipline is the guiding principles that will make us run whatever system or societies we are running in an orderly, disciplined fashion, in a way that will be inclusive for all stakeholders to contribute maximally to the well-being and purpose of the organisation,” he said. He assured that the crisis will soon come to an end. Others at the meeting include Chibuzor Nwuche, Uche Secondus, Austin Opkara, Senator Lee Maeba, Fred Kpakol, Ama Pepple, Rivers PDP Party Secretary – Walter Opuene, Abiye Sekibo, Sergeant Awuse, Kenneth Kobani, Timothy Nsirim, Doris Fisher, Toru Ofili, Boma Iyaye, Evans Bipi, Hope Ikiriko, Vincent Nemieboka and Elemchukwu Ogbowu.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 18:41:00 +0000
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