Obuah’s PDP vows to drag Amaechi to court over work-free days in Rivers

PORT HARCOURT—THE Felix Obuah faction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State, has threatened to drag Governor Rotimi Amaechi to court over what it described as politically motivated declaration of public holidays by the governor in the state.

The party's faction said that the public holidays were declared by the governor to stall the judgment to be delivered by Justice Iyayi Lamikanra of a state High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, on the  political crisis rocking Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area.

In a statement, yesterday by Mr. Jerry Needam, media aide to its Chairman, the party said that it was displeased by "a barrage of work-free days, first announced midnight on November 14, 2013 by Governor Amaechi declaring, November 15, and November 18,  as public holidays respectively."
The party said it was disturbed that by November 18 at 8pm, Governor Amaechi extended the work-free days to November 22.

The PDP faction alleged that the action by the governor was part of attempts to sustain Justice Peter  Agumagu as acting Chief Judge of the state without regard to laid down rules and against all wise counsel, with ulterior motive to manipulate the state judiciary.

He said: "Amaechi had used all tactics, including executive orders to his aides and some council chairmen/caretakers, to cast aspersions on some magistrates and judges, who are seen to have insisted on doing the right thing. The reason given for the ongoing work-free days is political and diversionary."

The statement said the celebration of Rivers Centenary as reason for the succession of public holidays was diversionary, adding that "the colossal loss on the state as a result of these work-free days, which may be extended, according to information available to us, after this week, is unimaginable.

"Our children are kept at home from schools, academic calendars have been altered. Our hospitals remain closed and tens of millions of naira accruable to the state within this period are lost."

Meanwhile, the Chairman Caretaker Committee of Obio Akpor council, Mr Chikordi Dike, has called for the transfer of the suit by the suspended Chairman of the council, challenging his suspension from Justice Lamikanra to another judge.

Accusing Justice Lamikanra of bias in the case,  Mr Dike, said that they had filed applications earlier challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter and also want Justice Lamikanra to withdraw from the case on grounds that she could be bias. He said that they had also filed motions for stay of further proceedings at the High court and notices of appeal at the Appeal Court.