GODWIN EGBA in PortHarcourt writes how a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state exposed the antics of Governor Nyesom Wike accusing him of using state funds to ‘destroy’ Rivers’ sons
Last Tuesday, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said there was need to put certain records in proper perspective and inform Nigerians accordingly about the happenings in the PDP.
Wike as Biblical Jonah in PDPWhile he accused Governor Nyesom Wike of being “a Jonah aboard the ship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”, he blamed the Rivers state governor for the PDP crisis, which he said was orchestrated in his quest to further his political ambition, absolving the party’s national chair, Prince Uche Secondus, of any wrong-doing.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, Chief Eze explained, “Categorically, I wish to reiterate that I am neither a fan of Prince Uche Secondus nor a sympathetic observer of the present confused and pitiable state of the PDP, but as a concerned and patriotic Nigerian who has followed and participated in the politics of the party from the fons et origo, I am compelled to put some records straight, particularly as regarding the current rift between Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state and Prince Uche Secondus, the National Chairman of the umbrella party also a Rivers man.”
PDP unable to offer opposition
According to him, “it was unfortunate to observe that the PDP has continued to be enmeshed in layers of raging crises that threaten her existence and throw her off the line of reasonably playing the chief role of a responsible opposition to the ruling party and government at the centre.”
Eze expressed concern about alleged “inability of the PDP and her leaders to effectively take up and play the roles of a good opposition party, wondering why the party had totally snubbed her place, retreating to slumber land.
“For those of us in the All Progressives Congress, we need a virile, focus-driven and strong opposition to tackle and checkmate the activities of public servants and constructively tackle the policies and programmes of government that seem not to produce good yields to the people. Not only will that put us on check, it will enable the party and government at the centre give out the best to Nigeria and Nigerians,” Eze stressed..
How Amaechi fought for elevation of Secondus
Going down memory lane, the APC chieftain recalled how Wike’s predecessor Hon Chibuike Amaechi had sought the elevation of Secondus as a Rivers man from Deputy National Organising Secretary.
Quoting the former governor now Minister of Transport, Eze said, “Amaechi then as governor of Rivers state had for very valid reasons, challenged the Peoples Democratic Party, over the appointment of Secondus as a Deputy National Organising Secretary of the party,” describing it as unbefitting.
“His bold stance resulted to the rise of Secondus as the then National Organising Secretary of the PDP and in appreciation, Secondus exclaimed before an audience during a Thanksgiving Service in Andoni that Amaechi is the “Ogbuagu” (Lion Killer) of Nigeria politics, a title Amaechi vehemently declined on the simple ground that Dr. Peter Odili) goes with the sobriquet and it would be disrespectful for him to go by same title with his own boss.”
Secondus paid Amaechi back with evil
Eze however noted that when it was time to pay back good, Secondus allegedly conspired with Wike and others to dismantle the leadership of the party in Rivers state headed then by the late Chief G. U. Ake as Chairman.
“They installed Brother Felix Obuah, who neither contested the position nor participated in any congress, as the state chairman, to replace Chief Ake. All these they did with the overbearing influence of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and his wife Patience, in a bid to whittle down the influence of Amaechi in the politics of Rivers state.”
Eze highlighted that he is very much aware that the bickering and political hustling of both Governor Wike and Prince Secondus are geared towards producing a Northern Presidential candidate for the PDP in the 2023 elections, but however stated that such scheming is unsupported as it remains inimical to the unity and peaceful coexistence of Nigeria.
The APC stalwart expressed angst over Gov. Wike’s alleged planned-forceful takeover of the party noting that billions of Rivers money had been wasted already and more have been earmarked for his takeover bid, all at the detriment of Rivers people whose common patrimony had again earned the Governor another sobriquet of “Father Christmas”.
How Wike plans to oust Secondus from office
He also alleged that although “Wike plans to box Secondus out from office by all means and with Rivers money, the Governor has suddenly forgotten that at the time Secondus was the chairman of Rivers state PDP, he was a mere Local Government Chairman and can never be more politically conscious than the man we all know as ‘Total Chair.’
“All these notwithstanding and coupled with the fact that I and Secondus belong to the Open Heaven Parish of RCCG, Old GRA Port Harcourt, I cannot be said to be his fan or supporter, however, seeing the dangerous techniques deployed by Governor Nyesom Wike in his plot to rubbish and decimate the impacts of Prince Uche Secondus in the politics of PDP as well as his acts of sabotage against his mentor and benefactor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, whom he served as Chief of Staff during his reign as governor of Rivers state, all aimed at ensuring that he (Wike) stands as the only politician in Rivers state, one needs to raise the alarm timeously.
“Today, the major desire of Governor Nyesom Wike in the politics of Rivers state is to ensure that nobody stands politically except him. Those he cannot destroy he caged into what is now addressed as Wike’s Cathedral of spent political forces without any job description but following him to functions and clapping for him. His efforts to destroy the political legacies and personality of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, is in the public domain and his recent to pull down Secondus is trending.
“Nobody is disputing the inputs of Wike in mobilising for the election of Prince Uche Secondus as the National Chairman of PDP but to turn around without waiting for the Convention of PDP, to say he has the power to remove a national officer of a party, is not only undemocratic, selfish and devious, but also unfortunate and unacceptable, he stated.
Eze reiterated that Governor Nyesom Wike should desist from deploying alleged scarce funds of Rivers state to fight, and decimate Rivers Political leaders, just to curry favour for the advancement of his own political fortune, noting that:
“Civil servants in Rivers state are gnashing their teeth, no salary; pensioners are lamenting, no pension, no gratuity; business owners are crying their eyes out, the governor is acquiring business areas and demolishing; market women are counting their loses on daily basis, they cannot afford not to sell on credit because workers are broke and in all these, ‘Father Christmas’, ‘POS Africa’ or whatever name he goes by, cannot just stop lavishing Rivers money on trivial things.”
Eze hails PDP BoT, govs
The party chief, however, commended the PDP Board of Trustees’ (BoT) members and governors for standing against the devious plots to disgrace Secondus out of office as National Chairman and urged them to endeavor to sustain the unity of the party, stressing that the All Progressives Congress is begging for a vibrant and virile opposition to contribute and criticize constructively towards national good.
Speaking on the movement of some PDP governors to the APC, Chief Eze counseled the BOT members and other stakeholders of the party to critically and carefully investigate inwards the root causes of why the Governors and other key members of the party are moving over to APC.
He urged the PDP to beam her light brighter, assuring that they must discover Wike as the root cause of the woes of the party and he has instigated more people to leave the PDP before the end of 2021.