All the constitutional delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State announced yesterday their boycott of the party’s special national convention billed for Abuja tomorrow.
They announced their decision at a news conference in Port Harcourt.
Chairman of the Rivers State Caucus in the National Assembly Honourable Asita said the national leadership of the PDP had failed, adding that all the stakeholders of the ruling party in the state met and decided to boycott the mini convention.
Two of the three senators and 10 House of Representatives members from the state, he said, are in support of the decision. Chairman of the crisis-torn Rivers PDP, Chief Felix Obuah, described Governor Rotimi Amaechi and his loyalists as “frustrated”.
Obuah, popularly called “Go Round” said the era of impunity and imposition of candidates was gone.
In a statement, his Special Adviser on Media, Jerry Needam, noted that the boycott was not unexpected, “in view of the way and manner Amaechi and his followers have been carrying on, with no regard for party rules and regulations”.
The Port Harcourt’s news conference was also attended by Dakuku Peterside (Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency), Ogbonna Nwuke (Etche/Omuma), Blessing Nsiegbe (Port Harcourt 2), Morris Pronen (Khana/Gokana), Barry Mpigi (Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo) and Bright Gogo (Okrika-Ogu/Bolo).
Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning Tammy Danagogo spoke on behalf of the members of the Executive Council. The representative of Gokana Constituency in the House of Assembly, Dr. Innocent Barikor, spoke on behalf of the 27 lawmakers loyal to Amaechi.
The Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Rivers chapter, Chimbiko Iche Akarolo, who is also the Mayor of Port Harcourt City Local Government, spoke on behalf of the 23 council chairmen.
The Publicity Secretary of the Chief Godspower Ake-led executive of the PDP in Rivers State, George Ukwuoma-Nwogba, spoke on behalf of the leadership of the party, while the chairmen of the PDP in the 23 local government areas was represented by Daere Samuel-Horsfall of Asari-Toru Local Government Area.
Asita said: “We have watched with pain, with shock and deep agony, the gradual disintegration of our party in the past few months. We are worried and traumatised that this party, the PDP, which most of us have invested all our political lives to build, is gradually degenerating into a rather shameful association of people without character.
“We are worried that the leadership of the party at the centre refuses to take credible steps that will reposition the party in Rivers State, to enable it to control the support that it has enjoyed from inception.
“We are indeed worried about the rascality in which the activities of the party are carried out in Rivers State. We are aware that the mini convention of the party is on Saturday. We had hoped that the party at the centre would take steps to put things right over what our party in recent times 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 Rivers State, especially the illegal and unconstitutional suspension of our leader, the governor of Rivers State, we believe that the best thing to do in the circumstance, in solidarity with our governor, is to boycott the convention for Saturday.
“We believe that this is the best thing to do. So, we have interacted with the different delegates to the convention. I am speaking as the Chairman of the National Assembly Caucus of Rivers State and I have interacted with members of the National Assembly. Ten members of the House of Representatives and two Senators support this boycott.
“I am aware that 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly also have supported this boycott. The 23 council chairmen of Rivers State, who are delegates to the convention, have also agreed to this boycott, as well as the party chairmen of the 23 local government areas, who are equally delegates to the convention. We also have with us members of the state executive council, who are also entitled as delegates to the convention to vote at the convention.
“We understand that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that those who are entitled to participate and vote at this convention are those who were so qualified at the last convention.
“We, therefore, state that anybody who claims to represent Rivers State at the convention, is not representing us, because we have decided to boycott the convention, in solidarity with our governor, who by virtue of the illegal suspension, is unable to attend the convention.
The chairman of the Rivers caucus in the National Assembly also stated that Obuah’s associates, who might decide to attend Saturday’s convention should be viewed as impostors, who he said would be impersonating the authentic delegates of the PDP from the state. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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