AKPABIO’S LARGESSE UPSETS PDP MEETING •AMAECHI, UDUAGHAN LEAVE MIDWAY

EFFORTS at mending the fractures in the workings of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-South region fell short Sunday as dignitaries left the special zonal meeting before it was over.

Governors Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Emmanuel Uduaghan of Rivers, Delta states respectively, along with several other senior political office holders on the platform of the PDP left the Alfred Diette-Spiff Civic Centre, venue of the PDP 2013 South-South Special Zonal Executive Committee Meeting while the Akwa Ibom state governor, Godswill Akpabio, was making his speech.

The crux of the disturbance, it was learnt, had to do with Governor Uduaghan’s speech and Governor Akpabio’s reaction to it.

Earlier, the Delta State governor, Dr Uduaghan, had called on the party to ensure that more is done for the people than just social infrastructure, stressing that they should be financially empowered.

“Governors of the South-south are committed to ensuring that the PDP continues to maintain a strangle on the South-south. There is no doubt that if the PDP is strong here in the South-South and not strong in other parts of the country, there will be a problem.

“So, I want to join others in urging you that what ever problems there are, either at the state, zonal or national levels, let us resolve them quickly so that we can move forward as a party.

“Mr Chairman, there is also an issue I want to raise; I know I am a governor but it also concerns me and others who hold positions in the party. I was with my predecessor one day when an elder came, I was telling him that if you tar all the roads, even if you air-condition the entire environment, and the stomachs of the people, of members of the party are empty, they will not appreciate what you have done. So I want to join them to tell us to ensure that their stomachs are filled so that they will appreciate what we have done,” Uduaghan pleaded.

However, Governor Akpabio speaking after Governor Uduaghan said: “Well, my brother governor, Uduaghan said you are hungry. So I will give the state chairmen from the six states N1 million per state for Mr. Biggs right now.

“All the state chairmen should see me immediately after my remarks so that at least I will drop N1 million each for Mr. Biggs’ so that PDP can chart the course for empowerment”, the governor said.

Explaining the reason for the action of the governors and other dignitaries who left the meeting, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, said Amaechi left the hall to see off one of his guests, the Delta state governor, Uduaghan, who was leaving the event.

“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 Governor 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 and as chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, that might be one of the ways he felt like reaching out to the people.

“The governor of Rivers state is the host governor, Governor Uduaghan is his brother governor, Governor Akpabio is his brother governor and Governor Ududaghan, his brother governor was leaving, it was the responsibility of the host governor to see him off. I’m sure you noticed that Governor Akpabio came late to the event, it wasn’t an issue that he came late, why is it an issue that the governor had to see off his brother governor?” Semenitari asked.

An aide to Governor Uduaghan said that he had to leave the meeting because the Asaba Airport closes at 5.30 p.m. and was seen off by Governor Amaechi who, it was learnt, did not return before the meeting was over.

Special assistant (media) to the Delta State governor, Sunny Areh, said no such thing happened. He said the governor had taken permission to leave early.

The leaders of south-south of the PDP led by the state governors including Chibuike Amachi, Emmanuel Uduaghan and Godswill Akpabio, as well as National Assembly members from the zone, had drummed support for the party while maping out strategies for the party to win more states in 2015.

The aggregate view by speakers during the ceremony was that the National Headquarters of  the PDP should do everything possible to reconcile aggrieved members, while also making sure that all litigations filed by aggrieved members should be withdrawn mostly in Rivers state.

 The National chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur in his remarks expressed gladness on the sense of solidarity among members of the party in the south-south as he assured members of the party of efforts by the PDP to assist the warring factions in each of the states to come together.

 Bamanga Tukur said the reconciliation meeting embarked upon by PDP across the geo-political zones of the federation has been bearing fruits, noting that the efforts recorded tremendous success in the south-west and the south-east as well as the south-south, where the reconciliation team had so far visited.

Source: Tribune