The pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere has placed part of the blame for the Rivers Crises upon the Governor of Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi.
The group’s spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin said Amaechi’s failure to reconcile with his party or defect to the opposition was also a catalyst of the ongoing problems in the state. The group nonetheless condemned the ‘unconstitutional’ attempt at removing the speaker of the Rivers House of assembly and the resultant violence.
Odumakin said, “We do not support any attempt to use undemocratic means to solve democratic problems. It is not possible for five out of 32 people to say they want to remove the Speaker of the state House of Assembly. That is totally wrong. But the truth must be told; Governor Amaechi should be told the whole truth.
“We think he is the cause of some of these crises. If he wants to defect to the opposition, let him do so. He cannot continue to use the platform of PDP to hold the party to ransom and think there will be no crisis. Most of the people who are supporting him from the opposition will not tolerate this kind behaviour from any of their members.”
He advised Odumakin to choose to either reconcile with PDP or defect to the opposition, as making a firm decision would be in the interest of democracy.
“While frowning at any attempt to use undemocratic means to solve democratic problems, I think Governor Amaechi should act in the interest of the people of the state, and lessen tension in the state either by reconciling with his party, or defecting to the opposition,” he said.
The executive had issued a statement earlier saying Amaechi was free to resign from the PDP, if he was no longer ready to respect President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the party.
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