By: Emmanuel Abi Couson
Barely 18 days after the groundbreaking declaration of support for the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, by no fewer than 12 Local Government Area Coordinators of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), 11 Ward Coordinators in Ahoada-East have resigned their membership of the group and pledged unalloyed support and loyalty to the Governor and his Administration in the State.
Ahoada East, which is the local government area of the Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr Edison Ehie, has a total of 13 electoral wards.
The 11 GDI Coordinators, who were in Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday on solidarity visit, said that they have now realised that they had been deceived and misled in the past few months, and decided to retrace their steps, and join the mass of Rivers people to defend and protect their votes and mandate freely given to Governor Fubara.
The Coordinators, who were received by the Chief of Staff, Dr Edison Ehie, pledged to mobilise all their supporters and associates to give the State Government the necessary support and encouragement to deliver good governance and sustainable development to Rivers people.
They said that having watched the actions and policy direction of the Governor, they have come to the realisation that remaining on the fence while detractors undermine the Government was not in the good interest of the State.
The Coordinators, who were accompanied by the former LGA Coordinator of GDI, Hon. Christian Abu, and Ahoada East LGA Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Handsome Ekelechi Agile, said that they are resolute in their decision to join millions of well-meaning Rivers people who had solidified their membership of the SIMplified Movement to protect and defend the Governor in the face of unwarranted attacks and campaign of calumny.
They said that with their movement to the SIMplified Family, the GDI structure in Ahoada East has completely collapsed.
While declaring their total support and loyalty to Governor Fubara, they warned that anybody fighting the Governor and the Chief of Staff would incur the wrath of Land.
In his remarks, the Chief of Staff Government House, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie assured them of the Government’s commitment to the wellbeing of all Rivers people and the consolidation of the gains of the infrastructure revolution of the Administration.
He told them that the Government was operating an open door policy and running an inclusive administration and assured that every Rivers man and woman would be touched positively by the actions, policies, and programmes of the Government.
The GDI Coordinators included Chinwe Okorji representing Ward 1; Henry Uhor for Ward 2; Hon. Muzan Otuza of Ward 3; Hon. Elvis Ishikaku representing Ward 4; and Hon. Johnson Monday of Ward 5.
Others are Mr. Evidence Adi for Ward 6; Emmanuel Ochu of Ward 7;
Hon. Fidelis Ikebuluwa representing Ward 8; Martins Odoi of Ward 9; Hon. Mackson Ekpeye representing Ward 10; Hon. Ambrose Ile for Ward 12.
With this development, the leadership of GDI at the Ward and LG levels have now dumped the group to join the Governor in efforts to transform the State.
