Amaechi alleges Jonathan forced him out of PDP

Rotimi Amaechi, former Rivers State governor, has alleged that former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife engineered the political crisis that forced his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the height of tensions in Rivers State.

Amaechi, who spoke during a recent interview, said mounting pressure, internal hostilities and what he described as coordinated political intimidation made his continued stay in the PDP untenable, ultimately pushing him to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 general elections.

According to him, the rift between his administration and the presidency deepened over disagreements on the control of the state’s political structure and governance direction. He said the relationship deteriorated rapidly, leading to a breakdown of trust between him and the party’s national leadership.

The former governor alleged that the involvement of former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, in Rivers State politics intensified divisions within the party, as competing loyalties fueled factional battles. He maintained that attempts at reconciliation failed as tensions escalated into open confrontation.

Amaechi pointed to the crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly and the leadership tussle within the Nigerian Governors’ Forum as key flashpoints that worsened the situation. These disputes, he said, deepened political fault lines and entrenched divisions both within the state and the PDP at the national level.

His eventual defection marked a turning point in Rivers politics, weakening the PDP’s grip on the state and bolstering the APC’s presence in the South-South. At the time, the move was widely regarded as a significant political shift that contributed to the broader realignment ahead of the 2015 elections.

Analysts say the fallout reflected deeper internal fractures within the PDP, as power struggles and competing ambitions eroded party cohesion. Amaechi’s alignment with the APC positioned him as a key figure in the coalition that later unseated the PDP at the federal level.

Despite the years that have passed, Amaechi’s latest remarks have reignited debate over the role of personal rivalries and internal party dynamics in shaping Nigeria’s political landscape. The Rivers crisis remains one of the most cited examples of how intra-party conflicts can trigger far-reaching political consequences.

Efforts to reach associates of the former president for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. However, supporters of Jonathan have previously dismissed similar claims, insisting that Amaechi’s defection was driven more by personal political calculations than external pressure.

Amaechi, who later served as Minister of Transportation under the APC-led administration, said his decision to leave the PDP was not taken lightly but became inevitable under the circumstances. He added that the episode underscores the need for stronger internal democracy and effective conflict resolution mechanisms within political parties.

The PDP has yet to respond officially to the latest allegations.