Obasanjo, Amaechi meet Over Rivers Crisis

By The Rainbow

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo met with Rivers State Governor, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, in Abuja on Tuesday over the lingering political crisis in the Rivers  state.

The meeting is part of series of meetings by the leaders of People's Democratic Party to find peace in the troubled party especially as they now have the All Progressives Congress to contend with.

The meeting between Obasanjo and Amaechi came few hours before governors elected on the platform of Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) met with President Goodluck Jonathan.

The latest and the most serious peace initiative in the PDP is being powered by Obasanjo after he was implored by some governors close to him.

According to reports,   the Delta   State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, and  his Cross River State  counterpart, Mr. Liyel Imoke, had convinced Obasanjo to summon the meeting with the aim of  ending the lack of cohesion among the PDP governors.

Uduaghan and Imoke  were said to have implored the former President to  end the perceived  rift  between  him and the President in the interest of the PDP.

The  two governors, it was learnt,  had  met with  Obasanjo  to convince on the need for him to intervene in the  disagreement  between Jonathan and the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.

It was learnt that  having been convinced by Uduaghan and Imoke, the former President  then  invited the  PDP governors  to the  meeting  which held in the Presidential Villa.

A governor, who was privy to the   Obasanjo-governors meeting, said that as a result of the efforts of Uduaghan and Imoke, agreed to take action.

It was laernt that the  former President personally signed the  letter inviting all the PDP governors, after being convinced that  it would not  be in his interest if Jonathan  failed and the party disintegrated.

The governor said, 'We are worried about the body language of the former President.  His refusal to be part of activities in the party is worrisome. Also, the impression that Baba (Obasanjo) and the President are fighting is not helping the polity and the Presidency.

'The party is shaking, especially with the registration of the All Progressives Congress. We want the former  President to help douse the tension in our party.'

The governor said that the influence of the former President on some of the governors, especially those from the Northern part of the country could not be underrated.

'Obasanjo's influence on the four   governors from the North, who have been moving from one state to  another is overwhelming. He can talk to them and there would be peace, ' he added.

He was referring to governors   Sule Lamido (Jigawa);  Murtala Nyako (Adamawa);  Babangida Aliyu (Niger); and   Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano).

The four governors and their  Sokoto State counterpart, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, had met with Obasanjo and some former leaders to complain about happenings in the party.

The meeting  between Obasanjo and the PDP governors  on Monday night  took place  at the Presidential Villa.

Obasanjo's meeting with Amaechi is part of his initiative to restore peace to the ruling party.