Your Absence Wasn’t Felt At Centenary Celebrations, PDP Tells Amaechi

FROM LEFT: GOV. CHIBUIKE AMAECHI OF RIVERS; REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PRESIDENT, SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT ON DOCUMENTATION AND STRATEGY, MR ORONTO DOUGLAS AND FORMER HEAD OF STATE, GEN.YAKUBU GOWON,  AT THE PORT HARCOURT CITY CENTENARY CELEBRATION SYMPOSIUM IN PORT HARCOURT LAST YEAR ( CREDIT:NAN)
FROM LEFT: GOV. CHIBUIKE AMAECHI OF RIVERS; REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PRESIDENT, SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT ON DOCUMENTATION AND STRATEGY, MR ORONTO DOUGLAS AND FORMER HEAD OF STATE, GEN.YAKUBU GOWON, AT THE PORT HARCOURT CITY CENTENARY CELEBRATION SYMPOSIUM IN PORT HARCOURT LAST YEAR ( CREDIT:NAN)

The Rivers State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has faulted the absence of Governor Rotimi Amaechi from Nigeria’s centenary celebration, which came to an end on Sunday.

Information Nigeria reported that Amaechi had while speaking at a book presentation to commemorate the 70th birthday celebration of the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Nimi Briggs, on Saturday, said he shunned Nigeria’s centenary event to get back at President Goodluck Jonathan for refusing to attend Port Harcourt’s centenary anniversary last year.

But the state PDP on Monday described the development as a disappointment and slap in the face of people of the state, Niger Delta region and South-South geo-political zone.

A statement signed by the Special Assistant to the state Chairman of the party, Mr. Jerry Needam, added that Gov. Amaechi has not hidden his disdain and disrespect for President Jonathan.

“The Peoples Democratic Party joins patriotic and well-meaning Nigerians in condemning Governor Amaechi’s deliberate absence at the centenary event in which eminent Nigerian leaders, other state governors and about 48 heads of governments and world leaders were in attendance.

“The PDP observes that Governor Amaechi makes no pretence in telling the world of his hatred, unrestrained disrespect and insubordination to President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government.

“The PDP recalls that Governor Amaechi, speaking at an occasion in Port Harcourt a few days ago, said he did not attend the centenary event to take his own pound of flesh on President Jonathan, whom he said was not present at the Port Harcourt Centenary recently organised by him.

“The party notes a glaring conflict in Amaechi’s claims who said while addressing his loyal lawmakers in his office in Port Harcourt today, March 3, 2014, that the reasons for his absence at the Abuja event marking the Nigeria Centenary was the wanton destruction of lives in some parts of the North and the general unemployment in the country”, the statement partly reads.

It wondered why the governor blamed his actions on the inability of the Federal Government to provide jobs when he could also not provide employment for the teeming unemployed youths in Rivers State.

The state PDP, however, noted that Amaechi’s absence could not mar the event, adding that the celebrations turned out to be one of the most successful celebrations of the Jonathan administration.