Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi on Saturday left his exit door out of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) open, saying there are other parties in the country and he would leave if pressure from the party’s hierarchy reaches an unbearable level.
Speaking in Port Harcourt at the birthday thanksgiving service of the former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), O.C.J. Okocha (SAN), Amaechi promised to stand by the suspension of Obio/Akpor local council executives till the very end, even if acting otherwise is a condition for remaining in the fold of the ruling party.
Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Timothy Nsirim, and his councillors had been suspended by the Rivers State House of Assembly in April on account of allegations of financial improprieties. Amaechi would later earn suspension from the party for failing to recall the suspended officers.
“If they reverse it tomorrow, there is one more option left to me, I can dissolve the entire executive. The Police can remain there as much as they want, it is Obio/Akpor people’s problem; the money is going nowhere,” he said.
“But we have saved you too, because the reason they suspended the executives is because they said, ‘let us investigate the place because there was corruption.’ If they investigate and the chairman and the councillors are not corrupt, they will call them back. But if they go to court to try to stop them, they will do their function.”
However, he promised to abide by the judgement of the court, even if it contradicts his actions, saying “outside that, nobody, not PDP, can give me condition,” as he has other options to continue participating in the country’s politics.
His words: “Is there only one party in Nigeria? Why would they give me condition? They will not give me condition. I lead the people of Rivers State and I will lead you. If they suffocate us in PDP and we need to move, we move!
“We will continue to struggle for our rights, and that includes our oil wells. You will hear the truth of this fight in December, January. I will address the state and I will tell you the truth of the fight.”
The embattled governor also answered questions from the bishop on whether he was truly elected Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).
“I don’t lie. If I will go to hell, lie wouldn’t be one of the reasons for my going to hell. Take it from me, those who lie don’t have courage,” he replied.
“Your Grace, there was an election. They are not denying that there was no election. They said before the election some people have signed documents for them, and they were 19. But in contesting the election, those 19 changed their minds and voted for me, and when the battle was, on it was clear that it was between the ‘Villa’ and me; and I won.”
