PDP forms panel to probe Amaechi

Gadzama

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership has named Mr. Joe Gadzama (SAN) as chairman of an 11-member investigation panel to handle matters in connection with the suspension order clamped on Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi by the leadership of the party.

The party's National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh who announced the setting up of the panel at a briefing on Monday  said the panel was expected to submit its recommendation to the party’s NWC at the conclusion of its assignment. He isolated the decision to suspend Amaechi from the crisis arising from the outcome of Friday’s election of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum won by Amaechi against the expectation of powerful stakeholders in the ruling party.

He based Amaechi’ s suspension on his refusal to rescind the decision by the Rivers State House of Assembly suspending the executive council of the Obiokpor local government in Rivers State.

According to him, it was incumbent on the Governor to rescind the decision, as directed by a faction of the executive committee of the Rivers chapter of the PDP.

according to him, “going by the party’s constitution, the Governor was expected to have rescinded the suspension order handed the executive council of the Obiokpor local government by the Rivers State Assembly”.

As to whether the suspension of the Rivers council was the first of its kind in PDP controlled states, Metuh said it was the first under the Bamanga Tukur led NWC. He claimed that the party was less concerned with similar suspension of councils in other states under previous leadership of the party.

The PDP spokesman said the decision to suspend Amaechi was not meant to pull the governor down. “We did not take the decision to pull anyone down. We are not out to destroy or condemn the governor. We are not saying that Ameachi is wrong. When you are administering a party, you must ensure there is discipline in the party”, Metuh stated.

When asked whether President Goodluck Jonathan as the national leader of the party was consulted before the decision to suspend Amaechi was taken, Metuh said the party did not have to consult the President before taking a decision.

Other members of the Gadzama panel are: Victor Kwom, Inalegwu Onche, Friday Nwosu, Udorji Amedu, Ola Kukoyi and Wakil Mohammed. The list also include Yusuf Jangwe, Mrs. Bola Doherty, Tanimu Adamson and Anicho Okoro who is to serve as secretary to the panel.

No time frame within which the panel is expected to submit its report to the leadership of the party was given.