Former presidential aide on prosecution, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla has said there was no need for the Vice President Kashim Shettima to warn the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nyesome Wike about leadership of APC in Rivers State because he is not a member of the ruling APC.
While addressing the media during an event in his community, Wike said he remains the leader of both the APC and PDP in the state, adding that he will determine who emerged Governor of the state next general elections.
While in Enugu State yesterday, the Vice President sent a strong message to Wike when he responded to his media parleys over his warning to APC leaders to steer clear of Rivers State APC leadership.
The VP was emphatic in his message to Wike, stating that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the leader of the APC in Rivers State, and not him.
Shettima emphasized that he is the Vice President of Nigeria and the second-in-command both in the country and within the APC but that in his home state of Borno, the leader of the party is the sitting governor, Professor Babagana Zulum.
In an interview with DAILY POST, Obono-Obla, a lawyer, said there is no dispute about leadership because by the Party’s arrangements, the governor of a state ruled by the party, is automatically the leader of the party.
“Be that as it may, if the Governors assumes such a toga by convention within the Party, then the Vice President is not entirely wrong to make such an assertion. However, directing it to Minister Nyesom Wike may not be appropriate since he is not a member of the APC in Rivers State. ”
Obono-Obla, however, noted that under the APC Constitution, there is no provision that makes Governors elected under the APC the leaders of the Party in their respective states, but that conventionally and impliedly they assume such positions.
He observed that this practice is controversial because some argue that governors exploit the absence of a defined role and its responsibilities to arrogate absolute powers to themselves, which they often use to promote cronyism and godfatherism.
The party stalwart called for clarity within the APC Constitution to prevent the abuse of convention and to ensure that leadership roles are properly defined.
This way, he believes that it will curb tendencies toward cronyism and godfatherism.
Needless for VP Shettima to warn Wike over party leadership in Rivers – Obono-Obla
Needless for VP Shettima to warn Wike over party leadership in Rivers – Obono-Obla
