Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has asked the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, to either reconcile with his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, or defect to the opposition in order to resolve the crisis in the state. Spokesman of the group, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, told SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday that as much as Afenifere condemned the violence and unconstitutional attempt to remove the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, it also blamed Amaechi for the crisis in the state.
He said, “We do not support any attempt to use undemocratic means to solve democratic problems. It is not
possible for five out of 32 people to say they want to remove the Speaker of the state House of Assembly. That is totally wrong. But the truth must be told; Governor Amaechi should be told the whole truth.
“We think he is the cause of some of these crises. If he wants to defect to the opposition, let him do so. He cannot continue to use the platform of PDP to hold the party to ransom and think there will be no crisis. Most of the people who are supporting him from the opposition will not tolerate this kind behaviour from any of their members.”
Odumakin advised Amaechi to act in the interest of the people by either defecting or reconciling with the Presidency and the leadership of PDP.
“While frowning at any attempt to use undemocratic means to solve democratic problems, I think Governor Amaechi should act in the interest of the people of the state, and lessen tension in the state either by reconciling with his party, or defecting to the opposition,” he said.
The Presidency had said Amaechi was free to resign from the PDP, if he was no longer ready to respect President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the party.
PDP leaders in Rivers State, led by Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, and a former governor of the state, Dr. Peter Odili, had met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, where they tabled the governor’s alleged offences.
At the meeting, Jonathan said disregard for party rules by public officers elected on the party’s platform should not be tolerated.
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Amaechi was suspended in May for allegedly disobeying the directive of the state PDP asking him to reinstate the suspended chairman and executive of Obio/Akpor local government.
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