PDP Suspension Of Governor Amaechi Causes Disquiet In The Party

Governor Rotimi Amaechi

By SaharaReporters, New York

The People's Democratic Party wielded the big stick against the Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi on Monday as it suspended him from the party. The suspension has worsened high-stakes tension in the party between loyalists of President Goodluck Jonathan, engaged in a bitter political feud with Mr. Amaechi, and others who accuse the president of fomenting crises in the party in order to advance his bid for reelection.
The decision to suspend Governor Amaechi was taken at a hurriedly convened meeting of the party’s National Working Committee which held at the residence of the party's national chairman, Bamanga Tukur.
A statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, said the governor was suspended for his refusal to "obey the lawful directive of the Rivers State Executive Committee to rescind his decision dissolving the elected Executive Council of Obiokpor Local Government Area of Rivers State."
Though the party claimed the governor was suspended because of this, party insiders told SaharaReporters that Mr. Amaechi’s decision to run for the chairmanship of the Nigeria Governors' Forum was the main reason for the party’s wrath.
Against all odds, Mr. Amaechi won the election, edging Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau who had the blessing of Mr. Jonathan. Governor Amaechi’s margin of victory was 19 votes to Mr. Jang’s 16.
A Presidency source revealed that Mr. Jonathan has been in a sour mood since the defeat of his candidate for chairman of the Governors Forum. President Jonathan was attending the 50th anniversary celebration of the African Union (formerly known as Organization of African Unity) in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, when he received news of Mr. Jang’s loss. Sources within his delegation said Mr. Jonathan was so furious that he made angry phone calls to Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, blaming him for allowing the election to take place when Mr. Jang’s victory was in doubt. The sources also added that Mr. Jonathan got so drunk that he was unable to wake up the next morning to deliver a scheduled address to fellow heads of state at the AU summit. Nigerian delegates said it was a moment of national embarrassment when the Nigerian president was called to deliver his speech and Jonathan was a no-show.
A PDP governor from the northern part of the country told SaharaReporters this morning that the party must rescind “this unfair action [the suspension of Governor Amaechi] or make itself weaker.” He added that many party members were unhappy that President Jonathan was teleguiding the party’s leadership to take actions that would weaken the party.