The feud between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Rotimi Amaechi has crept into the University of Port Harcourt Alumni Association, which they both belong to, reports Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt
The President is seeking re-election in 2015 and the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, is at the forefront of the campaigns.
Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), is accused of having vice-presidential ambition in 2015, which he has denied, stating that he would prefer to return to his alma mater (UNIPORT) to lecture in the English Department.
Jonathan and his foot soldiers are still in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the Rivers governor and four other governors recently defected to the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), vowing to produce the president in 2015.
The National President of the UNIPORT’s alumni association, Chief Ike Chinwo, insists he is still the helmsman, but some members of his executive claimed he had been replaced with the First National Vice-President, Chief Edward Ngene.
While addressing reporters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Chinwo expressed surprise over his purported removal.
He said the attempt by some members of his executive committee to excuse him from performing his functions and that by the doctrine of necessity, the first national vice-president should act, amounted to an impeachment, which, he insisted, the executive committee lacked powers to do, as enshrined in its constitution.
He said: “The process of impeachment of the National President and indeed any National Officer is clearly spelt out in Article 11, Section 2 of our constitution, which we all swore to uphold.
“It is pertinent to state that none of these steps has been taken, neither was any written allegation received at the last executive committee meeting held on February 7, 2014 at the national secretariat.
“Even if any allegation was received, in line with the provisions of our constitution, it is only the National Executive Council, comprising the Branch Presidents that can initiate any of those processes.
“Worse still, it was shocking to read from the papers that my only offence is my membership of a political party, other than their preferred one, which they all belong.
“My fundamental right of association and holding of political opinion is enshrined and protected in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.
“It is nonsensical and smacks of impunity for anybody to want to punish me by whatsoever guise, for exercising that right. It is an assault on my integrity and that of our unique Alumni Association and must be condemned by all and sundry.”
Chinwo also stated that the alumni association is a non-partisan, non-religious, non-ethnic and non-profit organisation, with members of varied background and opinion.
He noted that since his election on February 16, 2013, he had tried to reposition the alumni association, but had personally been very careful and mindful of the sensibilities of the members and avoided acting in a partisan political fashion in the performance of his duties.
The national president also said: “I wish to state that I remain resolutely committed to the wishes of the entire members and the goals of the Alumni Association.
“I call on all members (of the Alumni Association) to discountenance the ill-advised statement by some members of the executive committee, purporting to imply removal, suspension or whatever name so called, as they lack the powers and their actions, procedurally defective.”
Chinwo also pleaded with all members of the UNIPORT’s alumni association to remain steadfast, assuring that attempts were being made to call everybody to order and resolve all the issues amicably.
Eleven aggrieved members of the executive committee of the alumni association, who mostly hail from Bayelsa State or are Ijaw as President Jonathan and loyal to the Otuoke, Ogbia LGA-born politician, had earlier announced the removal of the national president.
The aggrieved executive members include Ngene; the Second National Vice-President, Don Nwabueze; National Secretary, Chris Adokeme; National Treasurer, Kate Wilcox; National Financial Secretary, Yusuf Aminu and Provost, Chief R. O. Olorunshola.
Others are the Public Relations Officer, Chris Oji; National Organising Secretary, Paul Abbey; National Ex-Officio. Uduak Ewitat; Assistant National Secretary, Frank Agharra and the National Editor-in-Chief, Mark Tony Nwakile.
Copies of the communiqué of the aggrieved officers’ meeting were sent to the Chairman of the UNIPORT’s Governing Council; the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ajienka; and the university’s Registrar.
Others copied were the UNIPORT’s alumni association’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), alumni representative on the governing council and all state chapter presidents.
The aggrieved executive members of the alumni association said: “Our National President, Chief Ike Chinwo, be excused from presidential functions, to enable him pursue his political ambition.
“The UNIPORT Alumni Association can no longer stand by and allow the destruction of the association, as a result of the deep and embarrassing partisan political activities of its National President.
“While Chief Ike Chinwo has the indisputable fundamental rights to associate with any political party of his choice, such rights cannot be expressed to the detriment of the overall interest of the association. The association restates its commitment to fiercely remain a politically non-partisan organisation.
“The National Executive Committee has lost confidence in the ability of Chief Ike Chinwo to pilot the affairs of the association along non-partisan political path and thus pass a vote of no confidence in him.
“Subsequent upon our decision, we ask Chief Chinwo to proceed on sabbatical and in line with the Doctrine of Necessity, the First National Vice-President, Chief Edward Ngene, is to act as the National President, pending the approval by Council and Congress.”
The aggrieved executive members also urged the members of the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of the 2014 Appropriation Bill, while lauding President Jonathan and the National Council of States for the approval of the national conference.
They commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the early release of the 2015 electoral time table, while expressing confidence in the commission’s ability to organise free, fair and credible elections.
Politicians should sheathe their swords and stop heating up the polity, in order to move the nation forward. (0)
Amaechi, Jonathan tears UNIPORT Alumni association apart
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