DO BREAK OUT FACTIONS EXIST IN RIVERS STATE PDP OR IS IT SIMPLY A CASE OF THE POLITICS OF ‘DONATUS’ AGENDA VS DEVELOPMENT AGENDA – PRINCEWILL POLITICAL ASSOCIATES (PPA) ATTEMPTS AN ANSWER?
We have read different reports and permutations about the current political developments in Rivers State that led to the arrest of some self acclaimed PDP Chieftains and have decided to put the records straight with the facts available. As a political group desirous of the best for our State let not our silence be construed to be acceptance of the conduct of misguided elements within the party. The picture being presented before the public is that PDP in Rivers State is factionalized into two segments with one segment being controlled by Gov Amaechi and the other controlled by some politicians of Rivers extraction based in Abuja. Contrary to all these insinuations we wish to state that with all due respect to those concerned that PDP in Rivers State is not only intact but more united, vibrant, virile and ready to make a statement to its Abuja based counterparts and the entire members of PDP Worldwide when the need arises.
It is on record that PDP in Rivers State still has one central leadership with Gov Chibuike Amaechi as Leader and Chief Godspower U. Ake as Chairman. For the fact that some misguided elements decided to rent another place instead of the PDP State Secretariat does not in our opinion constitute fractionalization of the party in the State. What is most distasteful and disturbing about this development, is that the PDP State Secretariat is large enough to accommodate any group of PDP that wants to hold any meeting so far as such gatherings are not in any way inimical to the security and growth of the State. Besides the PDP Umbrella is large enough to provide shelter to all that desires to be protected so far such a fellow is a Nigerian and law-abiding. The act of holding PDP meetings outside the designated venue can therefore be deemed a challenge to constituted authority of the party.
What we have observed is that certain elements within the party in the state are favourably disposed to fanning the perceived embers of disunity within the party with the goal of ensuring that the National Leadership of PDP would intervene to dissolve the current State structure and install persons favourably disposed to sharing of our common patrimony among the cabal that had previously held the State hostage in the past thereby resulting in the resurgence of insecurity and cultism in the State which would ultimately result in the total disruption of the developmental efforts and milestones witnessed in the two years of visionary and purposeful leadership of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi. What this group of persons fail to understand, is that with the coming of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo as the new helmsman of PDP, the time of such calculations of sitting in Abuja and dissolving State structures are a thing of the past with the expiration of the Presidency of General Olusegun Obasanjo whose undemocratic maneuvers are legendary.
We reiterate here, that Rivers State has witnessed in the time of this administration, unprecedented development only rivaled by the legendary era of the Diete-Spiff regime. We make bold to say that the coming of the sadly misguided Restoration Team is simply a case of “the hand of Esau, voice of Jacob” because what such a group portends, is a return to the dark age of the “Donatus” Era replete with wanton wastage of the state's funds. Any such attempt to take the state back to its inglorious past will be resisted and thrown out to the dung hill where it belongs. Rivers State is ours to build and we are committed to ensuring that the dividends of democracy must continue unabated to the people of the State.
In conclusion, we implore Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi not to be cowed, intimidated or discouraged by the antecedents of those that does not wish the State well and continue with his efforts to improve and move the State forward as we urge all and sundry to join hands with Amaechi to move the State forward as his records speaks for him in the State as we are now wiser than we were in the last ten years.
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,
Media Consultant, PPA.
30-08-10