SIX Rivers State commissioners not expelled from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state have attributed their exclusion as a ploy to create disaffection and distrust within Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s cabinet.
The Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Otelemaba Amachree and twenty-six other lawmakers, said the undemocratic and reckless manner of the Obuah-led faction of the PDP threatens not only the on-going reconciliation efforts but further deepens the factionalisation, fragmentation and survival of the party.
The commissioners, Alice Lawrence-Nemi (Education), Sampson Parker (Health), Dr. Chamberlain Peterside (Finance), George Tolofari (Transport), Dr. Ipalibo Harry (Employment Generation and Employment) and Owunwene Wonodi (Youths Development), said they would sue the party for maliciously alleging they sent reports and representatives to the evaluation committee set up to assess pubic office holders.
It would be recalled that the Felix Obuah-led PDP executive had on Monday expelled 14 Rivers commissioners and four other staunch supporters of the governor, for ostensibly failing to appear before an evaluation committee set up to assess the performance of public office holders.
But while addressing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, the six commissioners unanimously affirmed that their exclusion in the list of those expelled was aimed at creating rancour and division within the Rivers State executive council.
Harry said the action of the party has a lot of legal implication because it was malicious to have alleged that they sent representatives and reports on their activities in government to a committee that never invited them. He revealed that the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice is to review the case and after consultation with Governor Amaechi, legal actions will be initiated against the PDP in the state.
“Governor Amaechi is being unfairly treated and he is being pushed out of the PDP and that is not right” he added.
On his part, Tolofari expressed surprise by Obuah’s pronouncement, saying that he was not aware of the evaluation committee and never got any invitation from it. According to him, the essence of his exclusion and five others from the list of those expelled was to create distrust and disaffection within Amaechi’s cabinet.
“This is just politics to create disaffection and mistrust among us. Amaechi is just a victim of what he does not know about. I call on the leadership at the national level to intervene in this lingering crisis. It is not fair at all and I think this crisis should end,” he said.
Both the Commissioner for Education and Finance respectively said they were out of the country on official assignment when the evaluation committee sat. They insisted that there was no way they would have sent any report or representative to appear before the committee without the governor’s approval.
The lawmakers in a joint statement in reaction to the expulsion of 14 commissioners and others from the party said members of the Obuah-led faction in their unwarranted desperation for power do not have any idea of the constitution or membership of the PDP, hence their unguided pronouncements.
They contended that the reasons, methodology and procedures that led to the so-called expulsion are not only unconstitutional by reasons of Article 21(4) (5) (6) of the constitution of the PDP, but also a continuation of the undue political rascality and abject impunity that is detrimental and injurious to the character of the party and democracy.
“In all, it is important once more to advise our supporters and constituents to remain calm and loyal to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s administration as we are not distracted by the wanton vituperations of the derisory few. With God on our side, we shall overcome this macabre dance of ghosts,” they said.
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