Review Amaechi’s Suspension, Now …Arewa Group Gives PDP 7-Day Ultimatum …As Court Adjourns RVHA, Amaechi Suit To July 2 ….Those Chasing Amaechi Will Fall -Tam David-West

Following the reversal of the suspension slammed on the Governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Wamakko, by the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Arewa Integrity Group, yesterday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the national leadership of the party to rescind the suspension of the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

The group threatened to mobilise its members for a peaceful protest in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), should the PDP leadership fail to recall Governor Amaechi.

They also called for the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, for allegedly escalating the crises in the party and for using the party for selfish gains.

Addressing journalists in Kaduna, yesterday, the Chairman and Secretary of the group, Abdullahi Ladan and Aminu Sokoto, said the decision by the party to reverse Governor Aliyu Wamakko’s suspension without doing same for Governor Amaechi clearly indicates the party leadership’s deliberate gang-up and witch-hunt against the Rivers State governor.

The group added that the suspension of the two governors, who have contributed immensely to the growth of the party in their states, was undemocratic in the first place, and as such, could extend to any of the PDP governors, if not well addressed.

According to the group, the national leadership of the PDP lacks constitutional powers to suspend a sitting governor without any genuine allegation, adding that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party that has such powers.

On the crisis rocking the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the group called on the Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang to desist from parading himself as chairman of the forum, since according to the election results, Governor Amaechi defeated him with 19 votes against 16 in his favour.

Meanwhile, a Port Harcourt High Court yesterday fixed July 2, 2013 to hear a suit filed by Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi, seeking to restrain the state House of Assembly from impeaching him illegally.

The court presided over by Justice George O Omereji, adjourned the matter on receipt of a motion by five of the 32 Assembly members seeking to have independent representation in the case, different from all other members.

It would be recalled that when the matter was called for hearing on June 4, the five members of the House made an oral application seeking independent representation in the case.

Counsel to the five lawmakers, Chinwe Aguma, had told newsmen that his clients had different interest s in the leadership of the House, and had nothing to do with the present leadership.

Accoring to Aguma, the governor of Rivers State sued the House of Assembly, secondly, he sued the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Otelemaba Amachree in a representative capacity; that is , swing the Speaker to represent the other members of the House.

“In effect, by the nature of the action, our clients, who are also members of the House, but who do not beleive they have the same interest as the Speaker, vis-a-vis this particular case, to seek their own independent representation  to convey their own stance on the matter”, he explained.

On his part, counsel to the 27 lawmakers, Emenike Ebete, acknowledged that the court had earlier directed all parties in the suit to regularise normalise processes before the adjourned date of June 18.However, on receipt of the motion of independent representation by the five lawmakers, counsel to the 27 members, said they would also review the motion in preparation for the July 2, hearing.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Petroleum and social critic, Prof Tam David-West, says Rivers State governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi will prevail over his adversaries, since he is fighting a just cause for the betterment of democracy in the country.

Prof David-West made the assertion yesterday when he paid a solidarity visit to the governor in Government House, Port Harcourt.

The professor of virology said, “ those who are chasing Amaechi will fail’’, as he described the governor as the poor chicken that will outrun those chasing to kill it.

He urged the governor to see his travails as divine, saying, “the suffering of the spirit makes you younger and stronger…I’am sure Amaechi will come out stronger and younger’’.

While dismissing critics that he was seeking for favour from the governor, David- West noted that even before Amaechi became governor in 2007, he had written in support of him, stressing that his unflinching support for the re-elected chairman of Nigeria’s Governors Forum(NGF) was borne out of his assessment of the administration, “ I make bold to say without apologies or regret to say that no governor has focused himself to elevate Rivers State than Amaechi has done’’, he added.

The erswhile minister of petroleum reiterated that, “ anybody who says that Amaechi has not performed is blinder than the bat ‘’,as he  urged the governor not to relent but to show resilience as the crisis would soon be over and victory assured at the end.

Prof David-West also urged the governor to be wary of praise singers and “be retrospective,’’ reasoning that most of those claiming to support him were traitors,emphasising that the people needed not sit on the fence but should come out and support their governor who is fighting a just cause.

In his response later, Govenor Amaechi thanked the former Rivers State Commissioner for Education for the visit, “It is important that you have added this your great voice to the numerous Rivers people and Nigerians who are supporting  me for standing firm for democracy and for truth’’ .

Amaechi said the current political crisis being faced in the state is as a result of selfisheness by some politicians, while warning that insecurity would soon return to Rivers state if the police continued to compromise on their duties.

The governor also  warned that the current political crisis was a sign of what would happen ,and urged the citizenry to stand up for their rights, “ we should pray to God to help us avoid crisis in 2015.’’

He stressed the need for the will of the people to be respected.