The Deputy Legal Advisor for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okechukwu Osuoha, has stated that the party is relating fine with the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, just as other governors elected on the party’s platform.
The PDP chieftain criticized the party’s past National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, for asserting that the PDP had deserted Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
Naija News reports that Governor Fubara is currently embroiled in a struggle to stay in office after 25 members of the legislature, who are supporters of his predecessor and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, initiated an impeachment process against him.
The PDP’s former spokesperson, in a recent interview with the media, suggested that Governor Fubara was not to be blamed for feeling abandoned by the PDP, noting that even the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had not considered it appropriate to visit Governor Fubara during his campaign.
However, Osuoha, who spoke with Vanguard, criticized Ologbondiyan for believing that the PDP had deserted Governor Fubara, stating that such allegations could not be proven.
He said: “The burden of proof rests upon him (Ologbondiyan). How can he say PDP abandoned a candidate they sponsored and he became a Governor? The party did not abandon anybody. The party has about 13 Governors and they are all coming around, and they relate well with all the organs of the party.
” He is our state governor. We cannot abandon him unless he does anything to the contrary. The party will not abandon him just as a parent will not abandon his child.”
Osuoha remembered that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Senator Adolphus Wabara, recently conveyed the party’s stance on the political crisis in Rivers by stating that “PDP will not accept any state of emergency in Rivers State.”
Senator Wabara cautioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against yielding to pressure from “troublemakers behind the crisis in Rivers State” to declare a state of emergency in the oil-rich state.
He also demanded the immediate withdrawal of police officers who had barricaded the Council headquarters in the state after the former Council Chairmen’s tenure had expired.
Wabara emphasized that if the crisis in Rivers was not carefully managed, it could engulf the entire country. He advised President Tinubu against taking any action that could exacerbate the situation.
Osuoha reiterated that the party’s position, as articulated by the BoT Chairman, remained unchanged. He stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law and allowing Fubara to govern the state as its Executive Governor.
“Recently, our Boat Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, spoke up, and I totally adopted his position. We are in a democracy and democracy thrives by the rule of law. PDP won’t accept any declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State. Our BoT Chairman will also visit him soon.
“What’s playing out in Rivers is that they are desecrating our democracy. It’s a matter of interest. For example, the expiration of the tenure of Local Government Chairmen is provided for in the law. And if the tenure of the Chairmen expires, there is no tenure elongation.
“The Governor is the Chief Executive Officer of the state, and he is in charge of the state. So, if he decides in the interim, to appoint a caretaker committee to hold forth, is that the reason any person should call for a declaration of a state of emergency?
“Those people calling for a state of emergency in Rivers should be investigated. Who are those behind the troubles in that environment? Could it be they want to use it as an excuse to call for a state of emergency so that everywhere will come to a standstill? That’s not proper!
” There should be no state of emergency in Rivers. They should obey the law. Let there be peace in Rivers State. The Governor is the Governor of the state with Executive powers. He should be allowed to bring development and dividends of democracy to the people. What’s playing out there is all about people’s interest,” Osuoha.
The former Commissioner, however, noted that elected political officeholders should rapport well with their party leadership and its organs.
“No parents can abandon their child, but that child should be responsible and play along. A governor is supposed to align well with the party and always relating with the party Chairman and all the organs of the party, sponsoring the party because the party is not a limited liability company. It’s an association.
“People sponsor the party, that’s why they are called stakeholders. So, you play along with the party because it gives you the platform to become Governor. There is no individual candidate in Nigeria yet. Everything revolves around the party,” he added.
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