The Chief Godwin Ake faction of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has urged President Goodluck Jonathan and the party’s leadership to call Minister of State for Education Nyesom Wike and the factional party chair, Mr. Felix Obuah, to order.
A statement by George Ukwuoma, the Publicity Secretary of the Ake-led faction, identified Wike and Obuah as masterminds of the prevailing lawlessness in the state PDP, stressing that their “unguarded” statements could cause chaos.
He accused the duo of deliberately heating up the polity, ostensibly to destroy the party and truncate democracy in the state, warning that this “must stop henceforth”.
“Such statements include his (Obuah’s) congratulatory message to Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) even when it was clear to the whole country and world that Governor Chibuike Amaechi beat Jang with a clear 19 to 16 votes and is the authentic chairman of the NGF.
“Another instance is Obuah’s congratulatory message to Hon. Evans Bipi of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who proclaimed himself Speaker of the Assembly after a coup by him and four other members to impeach Speaker Otelemaba Dan Amachree failed on the day they attempted to disrupt sitting and cause mayhem at the Assembly with the help of their thugs and police accomplices.
“Or is Obuah saying to the state and the nation that five is greater than 27? It’s never possible for five members out of a 32-member Assembly to carry out an impeachment process.”
The statement also urged the PDP leadership to warn Obuah against making false and malicious statements against Governor Rotimi Amaechi, stating that he remains the leader of the party in the state.
It also condemned Wike’s actions and statements, saying the minister has carried on like an alternate governor.
“We have watched with dismay and utter disgust the way and manner Wike has carried on as if he’s the alternate, most times, substantive governor. This is most condemnable. That young man(Wike) is just a Minister, a deputy minister at that, and must be reminded at all times that there is only one governor and leader of the party in the state, which is Governor Amaechi and he must mandatorily subjugate himself to the leadership of the governor or get out of the party.”
“This Wike group is only deceiving the President and the party leadership, claiming that they have the support of the people when it’s clear they don’t. What they are doing is destroying the party. The people working with them are not card-carrying members of the PDP. They mostly consist of expired politicians, deadwoods and people who we roundly beat in the last elections as candidates of opposition parties and are now seeking relevance. These are the people Wike brought to Abuja as PDP leaders. They are not even PDP members.
“The vast majority of Rivers people and Rivers PDP are solidly behind Governor Amaechi; the grassroots are for Amaechi. Elected and appointed PDP leaders from Ward to the national level are solidly behind Governor Amaechi. So Wike’s and Obuah’s claims to the Presidency that they are in control should be put to a stop now as it would end up destroying the formidable structure built by the PDP in the state.”
“We challenge them to call for a meeting of elected and appointed leaders of the party in the state from Ward to national level; let’s see how many will attend. This would prove that their purported clout in the state PDP is false. They should stop deceiving the party and Mr. President.”
“We, therefore, urge our dear President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chairman PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih and the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to take relevant action and immediately call to order and correct this false campaign being carried out by Wike, his acolyte Obuah and their minute minority, which is threatening to swallow and destroy the PDP in the state,” the statement said.
