Graham-Douglas ‘tears’ Rivers PDP apart

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

The crisis in the Rivers State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deepened yesterday, after the chapter flayed the alleged cordiality between a senior member of the party, Alabo Graham-Douglas and Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

The state chairman of the party, Bro. Felix Obuah, in a statement made available to Vanguard yesterday described as indefensible and a betrayal, the assertion by Douglas that he could not sever his relationship with Governor Amaechi despite the political chasm between Amaechi and the mainstream of the PDP in Rivers State.
Douglas, a former minister and member of the PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, had been quoted in a newspaper interview as saying that he could not, because of the differences between the governor and President Goodluck Jonathan, sever relations with either of them.

The development follows recent mutterings in the party over the influence of the former Minister of State, (Education), Nyesom Wike, and the recent clash in Abuja between supporters of Wike and those of his rivals.
"It will be foolhardy for anybody to say that I should severe relationship with him, (Amaechi). Jonathan is my younger brother and Amaechi is the governor of my state of origin. I have been playing fatherly roles to both of them," Alabo Douglas had been quoted as saying.

Reacting to Douglas' assertion yesterday, Obuah, in a statement by his special adviser on media, Jerry Nedam said:

"The PDP feels disappointed by the reported series of contacts between the Kalabari chief, and Governor Amaechi of All Progressives Congress, APC, especially now that the issues of who becomes the president of the country and next governor of the state are on the table of the political parties.

"The PDP recalls its earlier revelation that those causing disaffection in the party are moles and agents of Amaechi and the APC.
"The PDP regrets that despite all the insults and abuses on President Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan by Governor Amaechi, Alabo Graham- Douglas sees nothing wrong about it, otherwise, he would have publicly cautioned the governor and also discontinued such political relationship which does the PDP no good."
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