Chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, on Tuesday, chided the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, over his versal onslaught against the party.
Two members of the PDP National Executive Committee, Timothy Osadolor and Diran Odeyemi, described Fubara’s behaviour as unfortunate and uncalled for.
Fubara, last week while hosting some lawmakers in Rivers State, said the PDP failed the people of Rivers State by keeping quiet amid the raging political crisis in the state.
Fubara, who is having a running battle with his predecessor and estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike, said Rivers relied on its principles of truth rather than party politics, asserting that the state would no longer be constrained by party affiliation and instead stand firm to defend democracy on its terms.
”In our state today, we are no longer doing party. We are doing a movement, so you don’t blame me if I don’t go to the side of the party too much.
“The party has failed us here. So what we are doing here is to stand with our two legs on the soil of Rivers State, so that we can defend democracy,” Fubara said
But PDP NEC members, who spoke to our correspondent on Tuesday, described the governor’s remarks as unfortunate and warned him against directing his frustration toward the party.
Odeyemi, who is a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary, said there were rules and a constitution guiding party members, stressing that the governor should have used alternative methods to address his grievances, instead of ridiculing the party.
“It is quite unfortunate when a governor speaks in public like that. We believe, as a governor, he knows the rules and the constitution of the party and shouldn’t have spoken in that manner.
“We are not saying there cannot be a misunderstanding of these rules. That is why we have, in the constitution, ways and manner of resolving the issues.
“Even if anything is going wrong within the party, I expected him to have contacted the party hierarchy, and all party organs, and stated his grievances. He should not go public against a party through which he became the governor.
“The governor should not extend his frustrations to a party that gave him the platform to become who he is today. There is a need to exercise caution, even in anger. Don’t destroy a party that made you who you are. Agreed, you have your grievances, but go through the normal channels and do not portray the party as unable to resolve its issues,” Odeyemi said.
On his part, Osadolor, who is the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, said there was nothing Fubara wanted from the party that had not been done.
In an interview with The PUNCH, Osadolor criticised the governor for not applying his understanding of the PDP Constitution.
“I am sure Governor Fubara would have realised that he made an unfortunate statement. It is unfortunate.
“First, there is nothing he wants the party to do that the party has not done for him. The party is in court over the same Rivers State matter. When the party demanded the governor’s support for the court cases, Fubara did not support the party. On the issue of the state executive, the National Working Committee took a general decision to extend the tenure of the serving executive, pending a congress.
““So, he cannot start asking the NWC to probate and reprobate at a time. He has been a politician, but you don’t need to be a politician to understand the workings of the constitution. If Governor Fubara has an axe to grind, let him go to the NWC and state executive to make his position known, not to drag the party’s name in the mud,” Osadolor said.
Credit: PUNCH
