Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has asked the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, to either reconcile with his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, or defect to the opposition in order to resolve the crisis in the state.

Spokesman of the group, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, told SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday that as much as Afenifere condemned the violence and unconstitutional attempt to remove the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, it also blamed Amaechi for the crisis in the state.

He said, “We do not support any attempt to use undemocratic means to solve democratic problems. It is not possible for five out of 32 people to say they want to remove the Speaker of the state House of Assembly. That is totally wrong. But the truth must be told; Governor Amaechi should be told the whole truth.

“We think he is the cause of some of these crises. If he wants to defect to the opposition, let him do so. He cannot continue to use the platform of PDP to hold the party to ransom and think there will be no crisis. Most of the people who are supporting him from the opposition will not tolerate this kind behaviour from any of their members.”

Odumakin advised Amaechi to act in the interest of the people by either defecting or reconciling with the Presidency and the leadership of PDP.

“While frowning at any attempt to use undemocratic means to solve democratic problems, I think Governor Amaechi should act in the interest of the people of the state, and lessen tension in the state either by reconciling with his party, or defecting to the opposition,” he said.

The Presidency had said Amaechi was free to resign from the PDP, if he was no longer ready to respect President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the party.

PDP leaders in Rivers State, led by Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, and a former governor of the state, Dr. Peter Odili, had met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, where they tabled the governor’s alleged offences.

At the meeting, Jonathan said disregard for party rules by public officers elected on the party’s platform should not be tolerated.
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Amaechi was suspended in May for allegedly disobeying the directive of the state PDP asking him to reinstate the suspended chairman and executive of Obio/Akpor local government.

Tintinix: "It is not possible for five out of 32 people to say they want to remove the Speaker of the state House of Assembly. That is totally wrong. But the truth must be told; Governor Amaechi should be told the whole truth.

“We think he is the cause of some of these crises. If he wants to defect to the opposition, let him do so. He cannot continue to use the platform of PDP to hold the party to ransom and think there will be no crisis. Most of the people who are supporting him from the opposition will not tolerate this kind behaviour from any of their members.”

Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has asked the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, to either reconcile with his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, or defect to the opposition in order to resolve the crisis in the state.

Spokesman of the group, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, told SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday that as much as Afenifere condemned the violence and unconstitutional attempt to remove the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, it also blamed Amaechi for the crisis in the state.

“We think he is the cause of some of these crises. If he wants to defect to the opposition, let him do so. He cannot continue to use the platform of PDP to hold the party to ransom and think there will be no crisis. Most of the people who are supporting him from the opposition will not tolerate this kind behaviour from any of their members.”

Odumakin advised Amaechi to act in the interest of the people by either defecting or reconciling with the Presidency and the leadership of PDP.

pro01:

This has got be a JOKE! Yinka Odumakin - the same notoriously mendacious Odumakin of CPC fame - uttered these words? Could it be that Afenifere's Odumakin adopts a radically different personality than the Odumakin of CPC? I dey come first, make I go use bleach rinse my eyes before I read am again.

Sincere 9gerian: @moderators, front page pls. Walahi if this SOLID advice does not make front page, kasala go burst.

wirinet: I disagree with Odumakin on this Amaechi issue. From the begining we all know Amaechi is a very stobborn man, he is a man of his own principles and[b] has never been shown to be a yes man to anybody.[/b] That was why OBJ and Odilli conspired to to deny him his lawful nomination for governorship, which he won back at the supreme court. Jonathan cannot think Amaechi would change overnight and become a yesman to him or his madam. Have you stop to think wy Ameachi had overwelming support from PDP inspite of his disagreements with OBJ and now Jonathan? How do you explain the overwelming support he enjoys presently from the state legislators who inspite of huge cash and other incentives refuse to betray amaechi. I am sure whatever Amaechi can offer the legislators, the Jonathans can tripple it. How do you explain the overwelming support from Nigerian governors - even from within the PDP. How many PDP governors have come out to openly criticize Amaechi? It shows people Admire his guts for standing up to what he believes in.


For example I concur with Amaechi in his views on amnesty, How can you reward criminals who have klled innocent people and stolen oil in the name of Amnesty. How can you give amnesty to someone that was never tried and found guilty. Today you have Criminal Boko Haram asking for amnesty also. Tomorrow another group would rise up and bomb innocent citizens and they would be entitled to amnesty also. Then what happens when amnesty money stops, the militants would go back to bombing, killing and oil theft.


I also concur with amaechi on the so called transformation agenda. What are the details and time lines of this transformation agenda? What is supposed to be the role of the governors in this agenda. We have had so many acronyms that they do not make sense anymore, From vison 202020 to 7 point agenda and now transformation agenda. I doubt if even Jonathans praise singers understand what the agenda entails.


I am not exactly a fan of Amaechi or any Nigerian polititians, (the good onces like ken Nnamani have been weeded out), all of them are thieves who are stealing the nation blind. Most of them are thugs, election riggers, certificate forgers, drug barons and common criminals.


I support the call for independent candidature, it will eliminate the tyranny of political party leaders and reduce godfatherism, that is if free election is allowed.

wirinet: I disagree with Odumakin on this Amaechi issue. From the begining we all know Amaechi is a very stobborn man, he is a man of his own principles and has never been shown to be a yes man to anybody. That was why OBJ and Odilli conspired to to deny him his lawful nomination for governorship, which he won back at the supreme court. Jonathan cannot think Amaechi would change overnight and become a yesman to him or his madam. Have you stop to think wy Ameachi had overwelming support from PDP inspite of his disagreements with OBJ and now Jonathan? How do you explain the overwelming support he enjoys presently from the state legislators who inspite of huge cash and other incentives refuse to betray amaechi. I am sure whatever Amaechi can offer the legislators, the Jonathans can tripple it. How do you explain the overwelming support from Nigerian governors - even from within the PDP. How many PDP governors have come out to openly criticize Amaechi? It shows people Admire his guts for standing up to what he believes in.


For example I concur with Amaechi in his views on amnesty, How can you reward criminals who have klled innocent people and stolen oil in the name of Amnesty. How can you give amnesty to someone that was never tried and found guilty. Today you have Criminal Boko Haram asking for amnesty also. Tomorrow another group would rise up and bomb innocent citizens and they would be entitled to amnesty also. Then what happens when amnesty money stops, the militants would go back to bombing, killing and oil theft.


I also concur with amaechi on the so called transformation agenda. What are the details and time lines of this transformation agenda? What is supposed to be the role of the governors in this agenda. We have had so many acronyms that they do not make sense anymore, From vison 202020 to 7 point agenda and now transformation agenda. I doubt if even Jonathans praise singers understand what the agenda entails.


I am not exactly a fan of Amaechi or any Nigerian polititians, (the good onces like ken Nnamani have been weeded out), all of them are thieves who are stealing the nation blind. Most of them are thugs, election riggers, certificate forgers, drug barons and common criminals.


I support the call for independent candidature, it will eliminate the tyranny of political party leaders and reduce godfatherism, that is if free election is allowed.

take dat: In short, Odumakin don port!!!

wirinet: From the begining we all know Amaechi is a very stobborn man, he is a man of his own principles and has never been shown to be a yes man to anybody. That was why OBJ and Odilli conspired to to deny him his lawful nomination for governorship, which he won back at the supreme court.

Alxmyr:

You are wrong on that. He was a yes man to Peter Odili for good 8 years. He was a yes man to be people during his first term. He only became strong head when he became NGF chairman.

wirinet I disagree with Odumakin on this Amaechi issue. From the begining we all know Amaechi is a very stobborn man, he is a man of his own principles and has never been shown to be a yes man to anybody. That was why OBJ and Odilli conspired to to deny him his lawful nomination for governorship, which he won back at the supreme court. Jonathan cannot think Amaechi would change overnight and become a yesman to him or his madam..

Alxmyr:

You are wrong on that. He was a yes man to Peter Odili for good 8 years. He was a yes man to be people during his first term. He only became strong head when he became NGF chairman.

chelseaguy: Afenifere are right, if you cannot conform to the party establishment you better defect. Simple. Government Amaechi is so full of himself to think that he can have a go at the president with impunity. No sitting president in his right senses would allow an up-start to oust or disrespect him.

Those in support of Amaechi are hypocrites, and as Afenifere said won't tolerate it if the table were turned. I repeat again, no sitting president would allow a party Governor to disrespect him like Ameachi did without fighting back.