SOYINKA’S STATEMENTS UNFORTUNATE, SAYS PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, of plotting to destabilise the country following its renewed call for President Goodluck Jonathan’s impeachment over the crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The PDP Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Tony Caesar Okeke, said in a statement issued in Abuja that such call was an indication that the opposition party lacked direction and only sought to destabilise the polity.
Okeke, who said PDP did not in any way lend support to the violence recently witnessed in the Rivers State House of Assembly, said fighting was a common feature in parliaments across the world.

He wondered how the recent fray in Rivers House of Assembly translated to an impeachable offense on the part of the President.
Okeke recalled the fracas in Ogun State House of Assembly earlier this year, during which the mace was destroyed and noted that nobody called for Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s impeachment.
He gave examples of recent brawls in legislative houses across the world including that of Ukraine parliament in March, Taiwanese Parliament in June, Venezuelan Parliament in May 2013, Turkish Parliament in March, Jordanian Parliament in March and the Georgia lawmakers’ brawl in the United States, during a TV show in February, among others.
Meanwhile, the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has been advised to always avoid inflammatory statements capable of plunging the country into deeper crisis.
The Political Adviser to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Abubarkar Gada, said this in a telephone interview with our correspondent yesterday while reacting to Soyinka’s scattering remarks against the Presidency and its role in the Rivers State political crisis.
Gada said PDP was disappointed by comments from a highly placed citizen like Soyinka.
The aide to the PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, that Soyinka should be seen as an arbitrator and moderator in conflicts rather than stocking the fire as he was doing presently.

Source: National Mirror