Rivers senators, 10 reps, Amaechi delegates boycott PDP convention

Rivers State delegates loyal to Governor Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday, declared a boycott of Peoples Democratic Party’s mini-convention which holds in Abuja tomorrow.

Leader of the Rivers State Caucus in the National Assembly, Asita Asita, who declared the boycott at a gathering of the league of pro-Amaechi’s delegates at Government House, Port Harcourt, said the action was to protest national PDP leadership’s indifference to the crisis rocking the state PDP and illegal suspension of Governor Amaechi by the party.

Gov. Rotimi Amaech

The boycotting delegates, who constitute majority of the automatic delegates to the last PDP National Convention, include two serving senators and 10 House of Representatives members and all commissioners, particularly those not expelled by the Felix Obuah-led state leadership of the party.

Others are the 27 pro-Amaechi Rivers State House Assembly members, suspended by the state leadership of the party, chairmen of all 23 local governments in the state and those of the party local government area chairmen instituted by the deposed Wilson Ake-led state executive of the party.

Asita said: “The leadership of the party at the centre has refused to bring under control the rascality with which activities of the party are being run by the illegal administration of the PDP in the state. We are not satisfied with the illegal suspension of Governor Amaechi who is the known leader of the party in the state.

“We are aware of the mini-convention and were hoping the party at the centre would take appropriate steps over the disrepute the party is suffering. Because the party at the centre has failed to do what it is supposed to do, we have decided to boycott the convention.

“Those qualified at the last convention are those who are still qualified to attend this coming convention according to INEC. So anyone claiming to represent Rivers at the convention is not qualified to do so.”

The member representing Gokana Constituency, Innocent Barikor, said “in support of the leaders from the Rivers NASS caucus, 27 of us from the Rivers State Assembly are also in support of the boycott in solidarity with the governor.”

Tammy Danagogo, Rivers State Commissioner for Urban Development, also presented the unanimous consent of Rivers State commissioners, especially those not declared expelled by the party leadership, to the boycott of the convention, while Mayor of Port Harcourt City Council, Chibuiko Akarolo, said the 23 council chairmen had also met and decided to boycott the convention in solidarity with the governor.