Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom late Tuesday afternoon explained the rationale behind the recall of Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State by the national caucus of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, while leaving out embattled Governor of Rivers, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
Akpabio, who was fielding questions from Journalists after a closed-door meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, explained that recalling Amaechi from suspension would have been in subjudice of a pending court case instituted against the party by the Rivers Governor.
Akpabio, who also doubles as the PDP Governors’ Forum chairman explained that it was easy for the National Working Committee (NWC) to lift Wamakko’s suspension because the matter was not in court.
In his words: “The PDP National Caucus was fully briefed on all issues pertaining to the party.
“We made an appeal to the NWC to look at the suspension but the one of the Rivers State Governor is sub-judice because he has gone to court.
“The one of Sokoto did not go to court and so the suspension was lifted,” Akpabio said.
News Diary Online recalls that Amaechi was suspended on May 27, over allegations bordering on his refusal to heed the party’s instruction to reinstate the elected council chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council in Rivers.
Wamakko on the other hand, who was suspended on June 5 for alleged disrespect to national chairman of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur, had been recalled by the party.
