Rivers PDP crisis: Odili, others rally against Amaechi, visit Jonathan

Posted by admin Headlines, Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers, State News, Top Stories Thursday, July 4th, 2013

LEADERS and elders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, on Thursday, met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja, on a solidarity visit.

Among the delegation were the acting deputy national chairman of the party, Chibudom Nwuche; state chairman; Chief Felix Obuah; former governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili; Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms Ama Pepple; former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Austin Opara; state secretary of the PDP, Walter Opuene; Abiye Sekibo and Fred Kpakol.

Receiving a delegation of the PDP from Rivers State, who came on a solidarity to him at the Presidential Villa, President Jonathan warned that indiscipline would no longer be tolerated in the party.

In an apparent reference to the perceived disloyalty of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, President Jonathan flayed officials elected under the PDP who, he observed, were secretly working with opposition to undermine the ruling party.

This is just as the delegation insisted that Chief Rotimi Amaechi can leave the party as if he so desires.

The governor, who is under suspension for anti-party activities, had recently threatened to defect to another political party if PDP leadership gave him conditions he could not meet.

President Jonathan, who expressed delight that the Rivers delegation was made up of who-is-who in the state, thanked the members for building PDP structures in the state and thus positioning Rivers in the national scheme of things.

“I have listened to the introductions and being a Rivers person, I know key political actors in Rivers State, the who’s who in Rivers State; and they are here. I want to thank you for building this political structure for the state, for the interest of Rivers State and to position Rivers State in the politics of the country.

“To me, I have been working with people of Rivers State for quite some time before I got here. I have had a robust relationship with my brothers and sisters in Rivers State. They are very reliable people who, I believe, will not speak with both sides of their mouths,” he said.

Former Rivers State governor, Chief Peter Odili, who spoke on the mission of the delegation to the Presidential Villa, said elders and leaders of the party came to show support and solidarity with the president.

Describing the meeting as warm and cheerful, Odili remarked that the problem in the state branch of the party was not beyond the people to resolve, stressing that members must be disciplined and show respect to authority.

“There is no human problem without a human solution. What is important is for us to recognise that at any point in time, respect for authority, respect for the rule of law, discipline will be the guiding principles that will make us run whatever system of society we are running in an orderly fashion.

“My assurance to you on behalf of the new leadership of the party in the state is that you will see an end to this open exchanges that put the Rivers State PDP in bad light,” he said.

The state chairman of the party, Chief Obuah, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said if Amaechi wanted to decamp, he could leave and nobody would attempt to stop him.

However, he added that the governor must apologise to the PDP before he would be accepted back into the fold, noting, “if he wants to stay in the party, he has to show respect. If he wants to leave, I cannot stop him.”

Obuah, who said Amaechi was entitled to his opinion, added that “if he shows remorse and go to the party and apologise, they will call him back. We are not begging for everybody to be in PDP.”

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, who the Rivers PDP boss recognised as the new leader of the party in the state, said Amaechi was angry because he had lost control of the party structures in the state.

Wike, who said he had nothing personal against the governor, added that there was no faction in the Rivers PDP.

He however noted that the door had not been closed for the governor or any other aggrieved member to return to the party, but they must be prepared to abide by the rules.

PDP national deputy chairmanship aspirant, Uche Secondus, warned that Amaechi should not threaten to leave the party but should simply quit.
Also on the delegation were Lee Maeba, Sergeant Awuse, Kenneth Kobani, Timothy Nsirim, Doris Fisher, Toru Ofili, Boma Iyaye, Evans Bipi, Hope Ikiriko, Vincent Nemieboka, Elemchukwu Ogbowu, among others.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State government has described parts of the comments made by Obuah during the visit to President Jonathan as relevance seeking and political grandstanding.

Reacting, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, said the factional leader of the party was abusing his rights to personal opinions.

She said claims by Obuah that Governor Amaechi had constituted himself as an opposition to President Jonathan was not true, while she reaffirmed the position of the governor that he had no plan of leaving the party.wp_posts