A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has removed from office the entire Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) executive in Rivers state, installing Mr. Felix Obuah as the new chairman.
The court presided over by Justice Mohammed Talba gave the ruling on Monday 15th April, 2013. Obuah who is said to be opposed to the government of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi was immediately sworn in. also sworn in was Walter Opuene as the state secretary of the party.
Obuah and Opuene had gone to court to challenge the legality of the former Ake led Exco which they claimed was not duly elected.
The oath of office was said to have been administered to Obuah, Opuene and other 27 members of their executive by the National legal Adviser of PDP, Mr. Victor Kwom in the presence of the Bananga Tukur led National Working Committee of the Party.
Meanwhile reaction have started trailing the sack of the PDP state Exco.
A legal luminary in the Rivers State, Barr. Golden Tamuno has described the court’s ruling as a test to internal democracy, noting that there is noting wrong with it.
A Niger Delta Activist, Chief Nnabs Saraegbe said the court ruling has removed the control of PDP in the state from Gov. Chibuike Amaechi.
He said leaving the PDP may not be the best option for the governor and advised him to change his attitude.
According to Saraegbe, a lot of people are not happy with Amaechi’s leadership style and until he changes things will be difficult for him.
In the same vein, Mr. Celestine Akpobari, the officer of Social Action, said Amaechi was only benefiting from the same faulty judicial process that enthroned him in 2007.
Akpobari said his advice for the governor is that he remains strong, hoping that God will deliver him from the hands of President Goodluck Jonathan.
In the meantime, the state commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Seminatari while reacting to the court ruling, expressed shock that a court could pronounce Mr. Obuah who she said did not contest the election as winner.
The Newswriter gathered that some members of the House of Representatives and commissioners, in persons of Honourable Asita, Andrew Uchendu, Davies Sokonte, Emma Chinda and Augustine Nwokocha have protested against the court ruling.
In a related development, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Rivers State chapter said it has rejected the High Court verdict that removed the Godspower Ake led PDP, state Exco, insisting that his election passed through due process.
This was revealed in a press briefing Wednesday in Port Harcourt, addressed by the Association’s chairman, Chimbiko Akarolo, the Mayor of Port Harcourt City.
ALGON said it views the latest political development where a High Court sitting in Abuja sacked the legally elected State Exco of PDP in Rivers State, without recourse to earlier court judgment on the matter, describing it as judicial rascality.
ALGON said it has therefore vowed not to support or do business with the new PDP Exco, headed by Mr. Felix Obuah.
The Association further accused a group of persons opposed to Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s administration of attempting to cause breakdown of law and order in the state that will warrant the imposition of State of Emergency.
According to ALGON, it was part of the activities of that same opposition group that ceded part of Rivers State territory to Bayelsa State. They also accused the group of planning to remove Governor Amaechi from office.
ALGON said it has resulted to continue to throw its weight behind the ousted G.U Ake led PDP Exco.
On whether they are considering leaving the party, if the aggression continues, the ALGON chairman said there is no such plan.
Asked whether they are in effect calling for anarchy by rejecting the court’s decision, ALGON said it is instead appealing to their supporters to be law abiding, as they plan to pursue an appeal of the court ruling. ###
Barth Ndu
