The succession crisis rocking the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) took a new turn on Monday as the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced the suspension of Governor Rotimi Amaech of Rivers state.
Interestingly, the suspension which was announced after an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee of the party at Wadata House, Abuja was anchored on Mr Amaech’s inability to rescind his decision on the dissolution of the Executive Council of Obiokpor local government in the state.
A statement issued and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh reads, “the National Working Committee at its emergency meeting on Monday, 27
May, 2013 considered the petition submitted by the PDP Rivers Executive
Committee against His Excellency, Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the
Executive Governor of Rivers State for violating Articles 58 1 (b), (c
), (h) and (m) of the PDP Constitution following his refusal to obey the
lawful directive of the Rivers State Executive Committee to rescind his
decision dissolving the elected Executive Council of Obiokpor Local
Government Area of Rivers State.
“The National Working Committee after preliminary hearing, in exercise
of the powers conferred by Articles 57 (3), 59 (3), 59 (5) and 29 (2.b),
hereby suspends the Executive Governor of River State, Rt Hon. Chibuike
Rotimi Amaechi as a member of the PDP and refers the matter to the
appropriate disciplinary committee of the Party.
“This is in furtherance of the determination of the leadership of the
Party to enforce discipline at all levels within the Party”.
Governor Amaechi has been at loggerhead with the Presidency and the party leadership over the chairmanship of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum. While the party asked him to step aside, the governor insisted on running his second term as the chairman of the Forum.
