Rivers PDP, APC Disagree Over Amaechi’s Invitation To Obasanjo For Project Inauguration

AMAECHI-OBASANJOThe Rivers State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressive Congress has engaged in a war of words over the invitation extended to former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the state by Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Obasanjo is expected in Rivers on February 17, 2014, to inaugurate projects executed by the Amaechi administration.

The state PDP on Wednesday in its opposition to the planned visit described the former President’s invitation to the state for the inauguration of projects as a public display of hypocrisy and pretence between the two men to give the impression that they had resolved their resentment for each other.

The party in a statement signed by the media aide to its state chairman, Mr. Jerry Needam, recalled that in 2006, during the build up to the 2007 general elections, then President Obasanjo castigated the people of the state for wishing to have a governor in the mould of Amaechi, who was Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

It also recalled that the former president instigated criminal investigations against Amaechi, thereby, effectively denying him the PDP governorship flag.

According to the statement, “It is also on record that upon assumption of office much later, same Amaechi in retaliation on Obasanjo cancelled the Airforce Base Link Road named after Obasanjo by ex-Gov Peter Odili.

“Ironically, the same Obasanjo link Road is one of the projects the former President is billed to commission in addition to some schools and roads completed by Dr. Peter Odili, some of which he, Obasanjo had between 2001 and 2006 formally  commissioned”.

In its reaction, the Special Assistant to the State Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, described Obasanjo as a leader with pedigree, who should not be ridiculed by the state PDP.

Eze also described the planned visit of the former president as historical, adding that the people of the state will give Obasanjo a rousing welcome.

He said, “For the PDP to say that former President Obasanjo was coming to Rivers State to commission schools and roads built by former Governor Peter Odili shows that they are misguided in their thoughts.

“Who in this world would say he does not know that Governor Amaechi built over 350 primary and secondary schools? But the truth is that Obasanjo is coming to Rivers State to see and commission what some blind leaders refused to see.

“That Obansanjo said Amaechi’s governorship ambition had K-leg; that was seven years ago and the issue must have been rectified. Why is the PDP still dwelling on the issue?”

1 COMMENT