16th April, 2013
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Government has said that the sacking of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, executives led by Chief Godspower Ake, and swearing-in of Chief Felix Obuah is a miscarriage of justice and it will not stand.
Mrs Ibim Semenitari, the Commissioner for information and Communications today gave this reaction to the ruling of Justice Ishaq Bello of Abuja High Court that sacked the state executive that is loyal to Governor Chibuike Amaechi and the eventual inauguration of the Chief Felix Obuah as Chairman of the Party by the National Working Committee of the party.
She explained that there was a subsisting Court judgement from an Okehi High Court of equal jurisdiction with the Abuja High Court that had earlier affirmed that Chief Godspower Ake as the duly elected chairman of the party in the state and that Judgement was not vacated.
According to her,the PDP at the national level was joined as co-defendants and Chief Ake won.
She said the recent action shows desperation on the part of the sponsors of Obuah and it is a deliberate attempt to truncate democracy in the state and in Nigeria.
On denial of Chief Dan Orbih that he never presided over the PDP primaries that saw the emergence of Chief Ake, Semenitari said: “There are certain things people say and they offend God.I hope he is not trying to offend God. He is either sleepwalking or sleep talking. She said the action is an abuse of Court process for the Judge to rule in “favour of a man who did not pick nomination form for the position he went court for?”
On whether the Governor would be contemplating dumping PDP, she said “We remain loyal and committed members of PDP. The Governor has repeatedly said that he was not leaving the party. He is committed and loyal member of the party and would not leave his house because thief broke into it.”
On the next line of action of the Governor, she said that over 2,000 PDP members who voted for Chief Godspower Ake will not fold their hands and watch such injustice stand.