Information reaching our news desk, says no fewer than twenty-two (22) commissioners in Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s cabinet are romancing secretly with the leadership of the State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Impeccable sources informed this weekly that commissioners that might not abandon the Governor include: Mrs. Ibim Semenitari (Information and Communications), Hon. Emma Chinda (Agriculture), Victor Giadom (Works) and two others, adding that in no distant time those commissioners who stand for pecuniary gains would quit the Amaechi’s cabinet.
On Monday at Aztec Arcum, the venue of the formal and official defection of the deputy governor, Engr. Tele Ikuru from APC to PDP, the chairman of Rivers PDP, Hon. Felix Obuah predicted that Governor Amaechi would soon be left with only five (5) commissioners.
He enjoined people who are still APC to cross over before it becomes late for them to do so.
However, Ikuru declared his defection on Sunday, six days to the general election.
In an address entitled “A Call On The Conscience Of The People of Rivers State”, the Deputy Governor said the address was delivered out of the fullness of his heart.
He said: “Ever since, as the true nature and motives of APC are unveiled, I have continued to twist and turn in extreme mental and emotional agony.
“The more I struggle to belong, the more the Rivers man in me rejects the APC.
“After carefully studying, interacting and analyzing the leadership of the party, I have come to the sad conclusion that the APC is a party of rebels, insurgents and anarchists, clothed in robes of pretence and deceit. APC is a party founded on deception and it thrives on unholy propaganda and falsehood”.
Mr Ikuru said his decision was centred on the fact that he would not want to be listed as part of a generation that would witch hunt and hound down the very first ever President from the region, apparently referring to the incumbent President seeking re-election in the presidential election that will hold on March 28.
“I wash my hands off this treachery and in the light of the above, I wish to urge all My Supporters, the Good People of Rivers State to join hands with other well-meaning Nigerians to massively vote for President Goodluck Jonathan and the Transformation Agenda that has brought so much relief and succour to the greatest number of Nigerians.
“I also urge all Rivers People to vote for Mr Nyesom Wike (CON), who has shown by his antecedents, track records and boundless capabilities that he will deliver good governance to the People of Rivers State,” the Deputy Governor said in his defection speech.
Mr Ikuru has been Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s deputy sine 2007 and has been campaigning for the APC along with Amaechi until he declared his defection.
After he announced his defection, the ruling party in Rivers State the APC called the Deputy Governor a traitor.
Addressing reporters after the Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru, announced his defection to the PDP, the chairman of the APC in Rivers State, Davies Ikanya, said Mr Ikuru’s exit will not affect the political fortunes of the party in the forthcoming elections.
Meanwhile, still smarting from the weekend defection of the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Engr. Tele Ikuru, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, boasted yesterday, that following its nationwide consultations and discussions in the last couple of weeks, some governors and their deputies on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, would in the next few days return to the PDP.
This was stated in Abuja, by the Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, who noted that towards the last days of campaigns, the APC would totally crumble.
According to Secondus, with the defection of Ikuru to the PDP, it has become clear that President Goodluck Jonathan has the vision to take Nigeria to the next level, which, he said the Presidential candidate of APC does not have.
Describing the defection of Ikuru as a welcome development, Secondus said that with the exit of the deputy governor and other candidates from the APC in Rivers, it has become obvious that Governor Rotimi Amaechi was not providing any governance and the people have lost confidence in him.
In another development, Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has said his Deputy, Engr. Tele Ikuru, was yet to inform him of his decision to leave the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The Deputy Governor, Sunday, announced his official defection to the PDP, saying he could not continue to be loyal to Governor Rotimi Amaechi at his own detriment.
He said it has become very difficult for him to fix himself properly in the APC which he tagged a deceitful party.
However, in a statement by his Commissioner for Information, Ibim Semenitari, Amaechi said it was obvious Ikuru only returned to where his heart had been.
Governor of his move, Governor Amaechi however wishes Engr Ikuru all the best in his future political endeavours”.
“He however wishes to note that the reasons adduced by Engr Ikuru are shocking as Deputy Governor lkuru has consistently been the one driving political activities in his local government area of Andoni. He has also been the second in command driving politics and governance in Rivers state.
“On a personal note, Governor Amaechi has accorded Engr Ikuru all the privileges and respect due the office of the Deputy Governor and has treated him with love as a friend and brother.
“Though the Governor had hoped that the numerous rumours of Engr Ikuru’s double-faced membership of the APC and open romance with the PDP were not true, he however appreciates the fact that every individual has a right to pursue his political dreams, as he deems most appropriate.
“It is however regrettable that Engr Ikuru has chosen the dishonourable path of bare faced lies and name calling rather than the more honourable path of simply retracing his steps to where he has always been.”
