The President of the
Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Saro
Pyagbara, yesterday asked Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and
Elder Godsday Orubebe, Minister of Niger Delta, to show restraint in
their face-off, which, according to him, does not do the region any
good.
The governor and the minister have been
locked in a war of words sparked by what is perceived as Amaechi’s
political ambition ahead 2015. The governor is speculated to be
interested in contesting as a presidential running mate – a move that
may jeopardise President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term.
Orubebe in a veiled reference to the
speculation said the governor has not lived up to expectation in the
discharge of his gubertanatorial responsibility, while Amaechi replied
that the minister was a failure.
Reacting to the development yesterday,
Pyagbara, said: “That (face-off) is not good for Niger Delta and
Nigeria. It is really unfortunate. As leaders, they must know that
people are watching them. They ought to be mentoring the younger ones.
“Governor Amaechi should always
criticise in love and with respect. It is not right for the NGF chairman
to abuse and embarrass his Niger Delta kinsmen, especially President
Jonathan and Elder Orubebe.”
Pyagbara added that it was imperative
for leaders and other people of the Niger Delta to always speak with one
voice, in order to move forward and urged Orubebe to ensure the early
completion of the East/West Road.
The President of the Ijaw Youth Council
(IYC), Miabiye Kuromiema, asked Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the
Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) to guard his utterances and show
respect to his fellow Niger Delta leaders.
Kuromiema, who hails from Okrika in
Rivers State, said: “Amaechi’s comment on the East-West Road demeans the
office of a governor. Rivers governor must realise that he cannot take
over the East-West Road through his remarks on AIT, except he is playing
politics.
“The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs
should concentrate on the dualisation of the East-West Road. Niger Delta
people want to see the road fully dualised very soon.”
The IYC president then called for unity
among Nigerians, especially people of the Niger Delta, in order to be
sure of a better tomorrow.
Chief Tunde Odanye, a top member of the
PDP and former governorship aspirant on the party’s platform, told The
Nation yesterday that the war of words was part of the democratic
freedom and indiscipline in PDP.
“I have not read the exact words the two
top officials used against each other, but we are all aware of what has
been happening in PDP of late. We can recall the case involving Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo and that of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Olagunsoye
Oyinlola. This one, the face-off between Amaechi and Orubebe is the
latest. You know PDP is a big party and we allow freedom of speech in
the party. So, what we are seeing today is a sign of freedom associated
with genuine democracy. It is also part of the indiscipline we have to
contend with.”
He explained that PDP has acknowledged
the fact that it has this problem and is doing something to resolve the
problem. “The worst scenario is if the party had pretended that it does
not have a problem. This type of indiscipline is a problem in PDP today
and the party elders are working hard now to solve it,” he said.
TheNation
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