More trouble is brewing for Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State .
The newly installed executive committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state declared its intention yesterday to probe him and other public office holders in the state.
The governor is currently locked in a fierce battle with powerful forces in the party at the federal, zonal and state, on account of his perceived ambition in the 2015 presidential race.
He is touted as running mate to Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State.
Both have denied the claim.
Mr. Felix Obuah and Mr. Walter Opuene, the newly inaugurated chairman and secretary of the Rivers PDP, said in a statement in Abuja that the party will put in place machinery to probe the activities of the governor and other public office holders in the state.
According to the party, the committee will audit the activities of all elected officials vis-a-vis the projects executed by them and the budgetary provisions therein to confirm if fiscal responsibility was adhered to.
The new exco replaced that loyal to Governor Amaechi whose commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari , was invited by the National Security Adviser (NSA , Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), to clarify her statement on the recent purchase of aircraft by the state government.
Her invitation is seen in the political circle as part of the plot by anti-Amaechi forces to make life uncomfortable for the state government.
The Rivers PDP said that officials who acquit themselves creditably will receive commendation while those who fall short of expectation or are involved in corrupt practices, negligence, recklessness or failure to comply with due process will be referred to the relevant anti-graft agencies so that the chances of the party at the next election will not be compromised.
The party said: ”We will henceforth and without further delay put in place appropriate machinery and mechanism to hold all public officials, especially political appointees at all levels of government responsible for their actions that derive from the party’s social contract with the people.
“We will immediately set up a committee that will exercise oversight responsibilities over the conduct of elected officials from councillors, chairmen and the vice, legislators at all levels of government and government at the state level.
“The committee will audit the activities of all elected officials vis-a-vis the projects on ground and the budgetary provisions therein to confirm if fiscal responsibility has been adhered to.
“Officials that acquit themselves creditably will receive commendation from the party, while officials who fall short or are involved in corrupt practices, negligence, recklessness or failure to comply with due process will be referred to the relevant anti-graft agencies so that the chances of the party at the next election will not be compromised.
“The party calls on its members to demonstrate patriotism by providing details of activities of elected party officials that are commendable and those that fall short and need to be investigated.”
Two anti-Amaechi groups- PDP Rivers State Legislators’ Forum (RSLF) and the Concerned Elders of PDP in Rivers State-are also up- in- arms against Amaechi and his faction for their alleged use of ‘Oga and Madam at the top’ comments, in describing the forces that procured the court judgement nullifying the election of the Godspower Ake-led executive committee of the state chapter of the PDP.
The court had ordered the immediate inauguration of a rival faction, led by Obuah as the dully recognised exco of the state chapter. The national leadership of the PDP had sworn-in the Obuah-led exco the very next day.
Leader of the PDP Rivers State Legislators’ Forum, Mr. Kingsley Chinda said the ‘Oga and Madam at the top’, comment made by Honourable Asita, referred to President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience.
Chinda stated: “The ‘Oga and Madam at the top’ words used by Honourable Asita in his press statement in apparent reference to Mr. President and his wife, are to say the least, awfully scurrilous, derogatory and disrespectful of the office and person of Mr. President and his wife, more so as it is coming from a supposed Honourable member of the House of Representatives and a very senior lawyer as he ought to be.”
Also reacting to the ‘Oga and Madam at the top’ comments, leader of the Concerned Elders of PDP in Rivers State, Chief Sergeant Awuse described Asita’s reaction as utter nonsense, saying that his group does not know any such Oga and Madam at the top.
Obuah, accompanied by scores of Abuja-based politicians of Rivers State origin, last night stormed Port Harcourt to take control of the party.
They were met at the airport by a large crowd of supporters.
Obuah, aka Go-Round said at the airport reception: “I will unite the party. I will bring back all the aggrieved members, who left the PDP. The teeming supporters at the airport to receive me indicate that I have the support of party members in the state.
“PDP members in Rivers state should not treat the party as a pressure group. We must be very careful and respect constituted authority. The party under my leadership will not tolerate unguarded utterances against President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the leader of our party. I thank God for my victory.”
The sacked Chairman of the party, Chief Godspower Ake, earlier yesterday in Port Harcourt, secured a court injunction restraining the rival exco members from parading themselves as officers of the party pending the determination of the substantive case in which he challed Obuah and his group.
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