THE fence-mending efforts by the Peoples Democratic Party failed on Sunday when the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi,   Delta  State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and some other dignitaries walked out of the party’s South-South zonal meeting.

The Port Harcourt meeting took place just as the  factions of the PDP in the South-West disagreed on the outcome of a similar  parley in the zone.

Our  correspondent in Rivers reported that  Akwa Ibom State Governor and Chairman of the PDP Forum, Chief Godswill Akpabio, had begun  addressing the gathering  when Amaechi  and Uduaghan  walked out.

But the  PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who was present at the meeting, defended the governors’ action.

He specifically referred to Uduaghan, whom he claimed rushed home to attend to an important  family  matter.

However, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim

Semenitari  said that  Amaechi left the venue of the meeting  to see off  the Delta State governor.

Amaechi did not return to the venue before the meeting ended.

Semenitari  said, “You noticed that the Governor of Delta State was leaving at the same time, Governor Amaechi had to be a proper host. So he had to see off his colleague, the governor of Delta state.

“I do not see any reason Governor Amaechi would feel insulted by the comments of Governor Akpabio because  he  (Akpabio) was responding to the comment of Governor Uduaghan.

“The people were obviously the ones who responded, the Governor of Rivers State had no  interest in that. Governor Akpabio thought it necessary to dole out some charity to the various states visiting as chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum. That might be one of the ways he felt like reaching out to the people.”

Akpabio had  announced a donation of N1m to each state chairman of the party in the South-South based on Uduaghan’s call that members of the party should be well-fed by the PDP.

The announcement by  Akpabio appeared to have angered Amaechi, Uduaghan and some members of the PDP in attendance.

Uduaghan had said earlier that even if all the roads were tarred, members of the PDP would appreciate the provision of food on their tables.

He said, “I join all my brothers in the South-South in welcoming you (Tukur). Even as an elected governor, I must tell you this. Even if you tar all the roads in the South-South without putting food on the table, our members will not appreciate the party.

“If you want to prevent our members from going  to other parties, you must put food in the stomach of our supporters.”


http://www.punchng.com/news/amaechi-uduaghan-walk-out-of-pdp-peace-meeting/