PDP: ‘Obuah Displaying Rascality’ …As Reps, Others Flay Expulsion

Rivers people have condemned the purported expulsion of 18 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who are loyal to Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State.
Speaking in separate interviews yesterday, they accused the Felix Obuah-led faction of the party of political vendetta, and an attempt to further plunge the state into instability.
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Hon. Dakuku Peterside, described the purported expulsion of over 18 Rivers State Government functionaries and party leaders as a bad omen for the PDP.
Peterside, who represents Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers State in the National Assembly, while reacting to the expulsion in Abuja yesterday, said, “this objectionable rascality must stop. Obuah has turned a great embarrassment to the PDP and he must be called to order before he succeeds in presenting the party in Rivers State to the world as a bunch of irresponsible rascals.”
According to him, “Rivers people are peace-loving, decorous and law-abiding. Therefore, Obuah and his co-travellers are a disgrace to Rivers State”.
According to Article 21.4 of the PDP Constitution, a member may be suspended by the Working Committee at any level but the member should not lose his or her right to contest any election.
Furthermore, Article 21.6 states that “a decision taken against a member who has not been informed about the charges against him or her or has not been given any opportunity of defending him or herself shall be null and void”.
He, therefore, called on those allegedly expelled and the entire people of the state to disregard this or any subsequent statement bordering on expulsion or suspension of members because they are of no effect.
Another member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke described the expulsion as, laughable, unfortunate, irresponsible and sheer madness.
Hon Nwuke wondered why the PDP leadership in the state was busy turning the state into what he views as ‘a laughing stock’ in the eyes of keen watchers of the state politics, and regretted that the expulsion of the Governor Chibuike Ameachi’s loyalists was coming at a time that the national PDP was talking about peace and reconciliation in the party.
Nwuke, who represents Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives said, “I think it is laughable; the reason being that for the first time, we’re unable to differentiate between the political parties and the government.  Now, most of these you’re talking about are either appointees of the governor or are technocrats, so what’s the relationship between them (and the political party). Take the SSG for instance, the SSG is not a politician; everybody knows that the SSG is a banker, he’s not a politician”.
The former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Dr Sam Sam Jaja also described the expulsion as laughable and embarrassing.
Dr Jaja said the actions of the Felix Obuah-led faction of the party had shown the world that the group was not ready for peace and reconciliation.
The former President of Nigerian Referees Association regretted that at the time when the national leadership was working to unite and reconcile with all aggrieved parties, the Obuah faction was busy making and creating more problems and crisis in Rivers State.
He refused to comment if the group’s action was in line with the party constitution, but said the constitution was clear on that, adding that the factional leadership of the party was desperate to grab power by all means.
The Chief of Staff, Government House, Rivers State, Sir Tony Okocha advised Rivers people to disregard the purported expulsion of loyalists of Governor Chibuike Amaechi.
Okocha, in a press conference in Port Harcourt said the Amaechi administration had secured a court injunction restraining the Obuah’s faction of the PDP from carrying out their  evil actions against the affected officials.
According to him, if they are reasonable, they should know that the matter is in court, and challenged them to make public those commissioners who they claimed submitted written reports to the panel.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon.Leyii Kwanee has called for the intervention of the PDP national secretariat in the expulsion of the 18 members of PDP in Rivers State.
Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, he said this has become imperative owing to the way and manner the party is being destroyed in the state.
He said that what is happening in the state is a grand design by the opposition party to infiltrate PDP in the state and to incapacitate it.
The Commissioner for Works, Chief Victor Giadom said it is laughable because those said to have been expelled from the party are valuable assets that would enable the party win the next elections in the state.
Chief Giadom regretted that those carrying these actions do not seek the interest of the party and the state.
Hon. Lasbry Amadi, former member, House of Representatives, said “I look at a lot of things happening in this party as arrant nonsense. To me, it is a very big surprise. It is something that is completely condemnable.”
Barrister Adokiye Oruwari condemned the action, saying that the PDP does not commune with its members when there are issues through pages of newspapers.
“The persons in question who are very eminent can be reached either by phone or in writing”, he said.

Rivers Contingents at the Notting Hill Carnival in London, yesterday

Kevin Nengia, John Bibor & Justus Awaji,Abuja