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Tag: Rivers PDP

  • JUST IN: Rivers PDP crisis deepens as factional leadership emerges

    JUST IN: Rivers PDP crisis deepens as factional leadership emerges

    …Ewor declares himself acting state chairman

    The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has deepened following a court ruling de-recognising the congresses that produced executive committee members loyal to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

    On January 13, the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt presided over by Justice Stephen Jumbo, issued a restraining order preventing the ward, local government, and state executive committees led by the state chairman, Aaron Chukwuemeka, from functioning as party executives. 

    The ruling was based on an interlocutory injunction filed by Port Harcourt-based lawyers Edwin Woko, Love Otuonye, and two others. 

    In response to the judgment, Robinson Ewor, the PDP chairman for Rivers West Senatorial District, declared himself the acting chairman of the party in Rivers State.

    Speaking in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Ewor announced Dr. Feild Nkor as the acting secretary and unveiled other members of the caretaker executive committee, including Uranta Humphrey, Sydney Gbara, Victor Pepple, and Emile Solomon. 

    Ewor, flanked by former members of the state working committee removed from dissolved caretaker committees, stated that the court ruling had returned the party’s leadership to its rightful members.

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    He pledged to enforce the judgment and dismissed the leadership of Aaron Chukwuemeka, Martin Amaewhule, and others as illegitimate. 

    Ewor also accused Wike and his allies of altering a directive from the PDP National Secretariat to extend the tenure of previous executives, which he claimed led to the controversial congresses. 

    This development marks another chapter in the escalating leadership battle within the PDP in Rivers State.

    He assured that his leadership would implement the court ruling, which he said did not recognize Chukwuemeka Aaron, Martin Amaewhule, and 26 others as members of the PDP.

    Ewor accused Wike and other party members of manipulating a directive from the PDP National Secretariat to extend the tenure of former executives.

    He stated that the alteration led to the controversial election that brought Chukwuemeka Aaron and others into office.

    He said: “The court barred Aaron Chukwuemeka and others from parading themselves as members and executives of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state and at various levels.

    “What this judgment means to us is that the party is being restored to the original owners. The party is restored to the leader of the party, the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara.

    “Going forward from today, we are here to inform Rivers people, the teeming supporters of our party, and indeed Nigerians, that the court ruling is being welcomed by members of the party at the state level. And that we will not only adhere to, or obey, the court ruling; we will go ahead to implement the court ruling to the letter.”

    Ewor stated the PDP was focused and called on the party’s national leadership to recognise Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the leader of the PDP in Rivers State.

    He noted: “As we speak, those who were elected, including Aaron Chukwuemeka, are no longer members of the PDP; they are members of the All Progressives Congress.

    “Martin Amaewhule and his colleagues are members of the APC; they are no longer members of the PDP. They have defected. And the defection stands.

    “They are not members of the PDP; there is no way they can lead the party at the state. So the court has restored the party to us, and we have taken over our party.

    “We want to use this medium to call on the national executive of the party to, as a matter of urgency, implement the judgement of the Rivers State High Court and hand over all the reins of the party to the leader of the party at the state level, who is the governor of the state.

    However, the Wike-backed executive stated that the leadership of Aaron remained intact, recalling that a Federal High Court in Abuja had given an order that granted the PDP in the state the authority to hold the ward, local government, and state congresses.

    The state publicity secretary, Dr. Kenneth Yowika, recalled that while delivering the judgement, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, barred the police, DSS, Independent National Electoral Commission, and seven others from stopping, truncating, or disrupting the conduct of the congresses of the party.

    He noted that the congresses were held between July and 31 August 2024, adding that the events produced winners, who were subsequently inaugurated.

    He further recalled that Justice Lifu, while delivering a ruling on the ex parte application brought by six members of the PDP in Rivers State, had asked the acting PDP national chairman, Iliya Damagum; national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; and the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, to proceed with the conduct of the congresses as scheduled.

    He stated that Lifu also ordered the PDP and the three national officers to adhere strictly to and honour the provisions of the guidelines, adjusted timetable, and schedule of activities duly issued and published, pending the determination of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction filed along with the motion ex parte.

    Yowika mentioned that Lifu also restrained the PDP and the three national officers from allowing any person who did not obtain a nomination form or ad hoc form within the time stipulated in the guideline from running for any elective office of the party or ad hoc or national delegates’ position, pending the determination of the motion on notice already filed.

    He said: “With reference to the judgment delivered by Justice Jumbo Stephens of the High Court in Port Harcourt on 13 January 2025, the party is calling on all its members from the wards, LGAs, and state to be calm, as our lawyers are studying the judgment which we will immediately appeal by the party.”

  • Rivers PDP crisis: Court dismisses suit to replace 27 pro-Wike lawmakers

    Rivers PDP crisis: Court dismisses suit to replace 27 pro-Wike lawmakers

    • Fubara’s candidates contest LG polls on APP platform

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit by the Action Peoples Party (APP) seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct election to replace the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who allegedly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2023.

    Justice Peter Lifu, in a judgment yesterday, held that the suit was not only statute barred, it also constituted an abuse of court process.

    Justice Lifu noted that while the 27 lawmakers, believed to be loyal to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, allegedly defected in December last year, the APP filed the suit on July 12, about 8 months after the cause of action arose.

    The judge held that the suit was statute barred having not been filed within 14 days as allowed by law.

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    In holding that the case constituted a gross abuse of court process, Justice Lifu noted that many suits on the same issue of the alleged defection of the same 27 Rivers lawmakers had been decided by the Federal High Court.

    He referred to some previous judgments of the Federal High Court on cases requesting the  replacement of the 27 lawmakers, which cases were all dismissed on the grounds that there were insufficient evidence to establish the defection of the legislators.

    Justice Lifu cited the judgment by  Justice James Omotosho (also of the Federal High Court, Abuja) delivered in July, which restrained INEC from declaring the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant and from conducting any fresh election to replace them.

    He held that since the judgment by Justice Omotosho has not been appealed against or set aside on appeal, it remains binding in relation to the issue of the alleged defection of the 27 legislators.

    The judge said it would amount to a display of judicial rascality for him to sit on appeal over a judgment by his brother judge.

    The plaintiff had prayed the court for among others, an order directing INEC to conduct a by-election for the seats of the 27 lawmakers having defected to the APC.

    The APP equally sought an order stopping the lawmakers from parading themselves as members of the Rivers state House of Assembly on the account of their defection from PDP to APC.

    Reacting to the judgment, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule said he and 26 other lawmakers never defected from the PDP to the APC.

    Amaewhule said with the judgment, the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly is under his control, adding that the only way democracy can thrive is to allow the rule of law to prevail and allow the legislature to function.

    He added: “Rivers State House of Assembly will continue to push for democracy and will make laws for the good people of Rivers State.”

    Meanwhile, the political family of the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has chosen the Actions Peoples Party (APP) to contest the October 5 local government elections following the crisis rocking the family’s original political platform, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The Nation earlier reported that ahead of the grassroots poll, the governor and his loyalists were seeking an alternative platform to contest the local government election because they were not in control of the PDP.

    It was observed that since the political crisis broke out in the state, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike and his camp, have been maintaining a firm grip of the PDP’s structures across the state.

    Wike’s camp was said to have finally wrestled the entire structures from Fubara and consolidated their stronghold for the next four years during the ward, local government and state congresses of the party.

    Fubara and his loyalists boycotted the congresses after obtaining a court order halting the exercise, but Wike’s loyalists relied on another court order to constitute the structures.

    Though the outcome of the congresses had further deepened the crisis in the party, there were no indications that the PDP structures would be handed over to Fubara despite promises of some PDP leaders at the national level.

    Sensing trouble, the governor and his camp were said to have selected APP as their alternative platform to contest the elections.

    The governor’s loyalists and social media aides had been promoting the activities of the APP, making the little known party to gain popularity within the state.

    Fubara’s interest in APP was hitherto a subject of speculation but with his loyalists emerging local government chairmanship and councilorship candidates, the matter had become a reality.

    It was gathered that after the hullabaloo that characterised selection of candidates across the wards and local government councils, the camp published the final list of the chosen ones under the APP.

    Most of the Caretaker Committee chairmen emerged chairmanship candidates while new persons were anointed chairmanship candidates in some local government areas.

    The anointing of some candidates was said to have sparked protests in some areas especially in Khana Local Government Area, where stakeholders marched to the Government House Port Harcourt and demanded that the governor should change the choice of one Martin Nwigbo as the chairmanship candidate.

    It was gathered that all Fubara’s 23 chosen chairmanship candidates emerged from the APP platform.

    Fubara’s loyalists, who emerged chairmanship candidates of the APP are Abua/Odua, Vincent Reuben Obu; Ahoada-East, Chibudom Ezu; Ahoada-West, Mr. Iyekor Ikporo;  Akuku-Toru,  Mrs. Tonye Oniyide; Emohua, David Omereji; Obio/Akpor, Amb. Chijioke Ihunwo; Omuma, Promise Reginald; Opobo/Nkoro, Enyiada Cookey-Gam; Port Harcourt, Ezebunwo Ichemati, among others.

    The APP Secretariat located at the new GRA in Port Harcourt was said to be a beehive of political activities as Fubara’s supporters were trooping in and out of the building.

    Recently, 20 councillorship candidates representing the 20 wards in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area undertook a familiarisation visit to the APP Secretariat and held a meeting with the state party chairman,  Sunny N Wokekoro.

    We survived impeachment plot, says Fubara

    Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has recalled how his administration took off smoothly but was later thrown into crisis following unexplained reasons to remove him.

    Fubara said when he assumed office, the political family was united but became divided because of the political crisis that erupted in the state.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Nelson Chukwudi, spoke when he inaugurated eight new judges at the Executive Chambers of Government House in Port Harcourt yesterday.

    The eight new High Court judges are Justice Frank Onyiri, Justice Victor Chinedum Ugoji, Justice Godswill Vidal Obomanu,  Justice Rita Chituru Oguguo, Justice Alatuwo Elkanah Fubara, Justice Bariyima Sylvester Kokpan;  Justice Lesi Wifa-Adedipe; and Justice Ibietela Innocent Madighi Obu.

    Fubara said: “But God was kind because he has offered another golden opportunity to steady the course of governance, stir up hope in the people and provide trusted leadership that is now widely accepted.”

    The governor said that the reasons behind the political crisis that erupted in the state were beginning to unfold for many more people to understand it clearly.

    He said “good things do not come by so easily because, like a seed put into the ground, dies before germinating, sometimes things will get bad before they eventually become better”.

    Fubara declared that Rivers, having gone through the crucible of the crisis, was at a stage of rebirth with the promise of everything considered to have gone wrong being restored, if not totally but at 90 percent.

    He said: “I want to thank everyone of you, more especially our judges. You’ve been very strong even in the face of this crisis that we find ourselves in. God will lead us through it. I think it’s for a purpose, and that purpose gradually is unfolding, and we are seeing it ourselves.

    “Things have to get bad before it will get well. You don’t harvest a maize without planting it. When these seeds are planted, they decay and they now, from there, start growing.

    “So, I strongly believe that what we are facing, at the stage we are, is for a rebirth of our State, and with your support, we are going to get everything right. At least, if not everything, 90 percent of our issues will be right.”

    On the inauguration of new judges, he said:  “We are here today to consummate that process, so that there will be more judicial officers that will help to drive the process of our Judiciary in the State.

    “This opportunity (appointment) wasn’t given to you by me, that is the truth. It is God that made it. Some of you here have looked for it in several ways.

    “Some of you were even opportune to be magistrate nominees, but you didn’t make it. But, you are here today as Judges. It is only God that has made it, it is not me.”

    Fubara told the newly sworn-in judges that he would never call any of them to ask for anything unjust because he expected them to be bold in standing up for the truth and restore hope in the judiciary.

    He said: “So, I am not going to ask you for anything, and I know that I have never called anyone of you here to ask for anything. Discharge your duty with the fear of God. I am saying it here, I will never call any of you here or even the older ones there to go and do what is wrong. Stand for what is right, and that is the only way God will elevate you; that is the truth.

    “There is a line in our new national anthem that says ‘a country where no man is oppressed’. You are supposed to be at that balance. When anybody calls you for something that is not just, you ought to have the boldness to tell the person: this is not right, and I am not going to do it.

    “My message is simple: do what is right, defend the course that you stand for, justice and equity.

    “I also know that you are not going to disappoint the Judiciary, because if you do that, you are disappointing and failing those very poor voiceless people who believe that the only way they can truly correct the wrong is through the Judiciary. So, I appeal to you, stand on the side of right.”

    The governor assured that his administration would sustain its support for  the judiciary to ensure they did  not lack anything to enhance their work so that they could resist attempts to compromise the expected standard.

    He advised them to work amicably with their seniors with respect so that those coming after them would naturally respect them too.

  • Rivers PDP elders tackle Ada George over attack on Wike

    Rivers PDP elders tackle Ada George over attack on Wike

    The Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Elders Committee yesterday objected to the attack on the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, by former Governor Rufus Ada-George.

    In a letter of September 13  to President Bola Tinubu, the committee described Ada-George as a “meddlesome interloper” who does not speak for the people of the state.

    Signatories to the letter included  the Chairman of the Rivers Elders Forum,  Chief Ferdinand Alabraba; Chief Emmanuel Anyanwu; former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief O C J Okocha (SAN); Senator George  Sekibo, former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Chibudom Nwuche; Senator Olaka Nwogu, Chief Ken Chikere, Chief Frank Owhor, and Chief Kenneth Kobani.

    Others were Ambassador Desmond Akawor, Chief Boma Iyaye Chief Felix Obuah, former Assembly speaker  Ikunyi Owaji-Ibani, Prof Henry Ogiri, Chief Emmanuel Deeya, Dr Sampson Parker, Alabo Dakorinama George-Kelly,  Chief Marcus Nle-Eji, Isobo Jack, Chief Igo Aguma, Rufus Godwins;  Director-General of NOSDRA,  Chukwuemeka Woke, and Chief Nyema Weli.

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    The elders also accused Ada-George of encouraging Governor Siminalayi Fubara to renege on the peace brokered between him and Wike by President Tinubu.

    They said the letter written by the elder statesman and his group did not represent the interests of the people.

    According to the elders, from all indications, the subject-matter of that open letter is the statement made by Chief  Nyesom Wike,  immediate past Governor of Rivers State and the current Minister of the FCT, at the recently successfully concluded Rivers PDP State Congress  in Port Harcourt.

    “The letter also included other matters totally irrelevant to the subject-matter but designed deliberately to attack the person of the  Minister.

    “Ordinarily, we would have completely ignored the publication for two reasons. First, the letter was written by an amorphous group falsely claiming to be speaking for Rivers people and secondly, the authors are mere meddlesome interlopers in a purely Rivers PDP affair.

    “But for the benefit of the reading public, we deem it necessary to correct the various false claims, petty insinuations and outright misrepresentations contained in their letter.

    “The Minister, speaking at the Rivers PDP State Congress held in Port Harcourt, informed delegates of attempts by some PDP Governors to interfere with Rivers politics and political crisis and went on to advise such governors to steer clear as anything contrary shall elicit a retaliatory response from him as he would also interfere in the politics of those states.”

    Throwing its weight behind Wike, the elders said This metaphorical comment during the Rivers PDP congress did not imply that he would bring in arms and ammunition or bring in petrol to set fire in any state.

    They added: “That was the statement made by the Minister and which Chief Rufus Ada George and his group took out of context, mischievously twisted and characterized as “an invocation of violence”.

    “This is the latest act of grandstanding by Chief Rufus Ada George and his group pretending to support the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara,  while masking their real motive to escalate and prolong the political crisis in Rivers State for their selfish interests.

    “We are not surprised at the antics of this same group who, on 26th December 2023, addressed that ill-conceived letter titled: “Peace in Galilee” to the governor of Rivers State, urging him to renege on his commitment to peace as enshrined in the peace plan brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

    The elders also accused Ada-George and his group of disdain for peace in the state by instituting  lawsuits to stall the implementation of the President’s Peace Plan by Fubara.

    They said the latest letter sent by the group to President Tinubu to malign Wike had exposed them as the people fuelling and setting “real fire into the crisis in Rivers State.”

    The elders called for the interrogation of every member of the group by security agencies for the invocation of violence in Rivers State.

    They added: “How else can one characterise such elders who are only out to escalate the crisis in the state even when the governor himself had committed to peace?

    “ It is therefore, laughable that they have the impudence to send a letter of appeal to Mr President whose kind and fatherly intervention to resolve the Rivers crisis was rebuffed by them.

    “Furthermore, the letter by the Chief Rufus Ada-George group is replete with several false and frivolous narratives, totally irrelevant to the subject-matter, all in an effort to tarnish the political standing and achievements of Chief Nyesom Wike.

    “But they failed woefully in that regard and only succeeded in exposing themselves as truly envious of his unassailable political profile which is already in the public domain.”

    Hailing Wike, the elders said he left an  “indelible legacy of achievements unmatched by any former governor of Rivers State and this was openly attested to at several public fora by no less a personality than a former two-time Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir (Dr) Peter Odili CON, GSSRS.”

    They stressed: “His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, recognised Wike’s achievements, appointed him Minister of the FCT and Wike is currently replicating his excellent performance as Governor in the FCT.

    “It was therefore, no surprise that Wike, who received the prestigious Presidential Award of Excellence on Infrastructural Delivery as Governor of Rivers State has again been honoured with that award as Minister of the FCT.

    “We expected Chief Rufus Ada George and his elders to commend this proud son of Rivers State for that uncommon feat and stop frustrating themselves by writing frivolous letters against him.

    The elders said the group, in pursuit of its “clannish agenda and leveraging on the political crisis in Rivers State, have made it its “pre-occupation to write open letters with Chief Nyesom Wike as  target.”

    They stressed: “These are people who did not supported Tinubu for President and not happy that Wike was invited to serve as Minister in the Tinubu administration and is doing very well.

    “It is only fair to remind them that Wike is a visionary leader, highly detribalized, whose principled stance on zoning and power-sharing, not only at the national level but also in Rivers State, puts him way above their divisive ethnic sentiments. Wike handed over a peaceful state to his successor.”

    According to them,  Wike’s tenure as vovernor was not “only successful in delivering unparalleled dividends of democracy, but also positively changed the dynamics of inter-ethnic relationships through his strategic collaboration  with the political leadership of the ethnic groups in the state.”

    They added: “Whether Chief Rufus Ada George , Chief E K Clark and their elders like it or not, Wike still maintains a very huge and stable political following  in Rivers State.”

    The elders said the people have lost faith in Ada-George and his group, after Wike and Fubara failed to attend a reconciliation meeting organised by them.

    They urged them to “reflect on that clear failing and play a more constructive role by placing the interest of the State above personal gains.”

     They said: “It is now clear beyond doubt that the resentful attitude of the Chief Rufus Ada- George group towards the Tinubu presidency is the same, if not worse, than their attitude towards Wike’s ministerial status.

    “They should have examined their conscience to know if they deserved to be heard by Mr President, having rejected his Peace Plan and continued to put fire into the political crisis in the state.”

    The elders urged President Tinubu to disregard their letter in its entirety for lacking merit and reason.

    They added: “For the Chief Rufus Ada-George group and the  likes of Chief E.K Clark, we advise them to assume a more noble role as statesmen as every attempt at witch-hunting Chief  Wike will remain a wild goose chase and  refrain from further fuelling the crisis in Rivers State so that Governor  Fubara, who they refused to support during the elections, can govern in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.”

  • Steer clear of Rivers PDP structure or risk fire in your states, Wike warns governors

    Steer clear of Rivers PDP structure or risk fire in your states, Wike warns governors

    •Fubara, team absent as PDP holds state congress in Rivers
    •Minister storms gathering in grand style

    FEDERAL Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike yesterday fired back at Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors for  supporting  their Rivers State counterpart Siminialayi Fubara in the PDP crisis in the state.

    Wike told them to keep off or have their fingers burnt.

    He threatened to “put fire in their states” should they persist in their plot to deny him the party’s structure in Rivers State.

    Wike is currently locked in a fierce battle with Fubara for the soul of the PDP in the state which he governed between 20l5 and 2023.

    Their disagreement revolves around the control of the party’s leadership at all levels in the state.

    The situation has split the party, including the legislature, into two in the state with some supporters lining up behind the governor and others siding with the minister.

    The PDP Governors’ Forum had in a recent communiqué in Jalingo Taraba State restated its stand with the Governor of Rivers State and promised to “engage the NWC of our great party to revisit the congress with a view to correcting the anomaly and allowing His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, to take his rightful leadership position of the party in the state.”

    However, addressing the PDP state’s congress yesterday in Port Harcourt, Wike vowed that no one, including PDP governors, could take the party’s structure from him.

     “Let me assure all of you: not while we live, nobody will take away the structure of PDP from us,” he told his supporters amid cheers.

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    He added: “Let me tell people, I heard that there are some governors who said they would take away the structure and give to somebody.

    “I pity those governors because I will put fire in their state. When God has given you peace, you say you don’t want peace, then whatever you see you take.

    “I don’t understand. I don’t understand simply because I heard they got some money and their heads are getting big that you put hand in my own state.

    “Prepare because I have the capacity to also do the same thing in your own state. Whether you are from Bauchi, I don’t give a damn. Whichever state you come from, as far as I know that you are trying to put your hand in Rivers State, your hand will get burnt and you will never sleep in your state.

    “You will never do governorship again. You will see political crisis as far as PDP is concerned. I have told them, when I start, don’t say I am the one that destroyed PDP.

    “Allow Rivers State to conduct the affairs of the party.”

    The FCT Minister said the party members had played their part by electing a governor and have now resolved to move forward since Fubara said they were no longer part of his plans.

    Wike asked the PDP loyalists to see what he called their rejection and maltreatment by the governor as bad business.

    He thanked them for remaining in the party and taking over its affairs.

    He prayed that God might help them repeat the 2023 victory in 2027.

    He said: “I assure you, yes we have done our own part by electing a government in the state. If the government says it doesn’t want us, will you kill yourselves? Will you run away from the party you built?

     “We are the party members and we have taken over our party. The way we did it, how we did it in 2023, the same God will allow us, will support us and be with us in 2027. Let nobody be intimidated.

    “I know how it is when you have worked hard and at the end of the day you are pushed away. I know how bad you will feel. But again, it is not every business you enter into that you gain profit, so see this one as one of those businesses that you invested and you lost.

    “That will not make you not to continue to work hard, invest in the future and make your profit. So, be strong. They said that we are finished, but they are finished. Anywhere you see them say that they are finished”.

    Wike alleged plan by Governor Fubara and his supporters to join the All Peoples Party (APP).

    He said they should expedite their plan and face the PDP in the next election.

    The minister said if he wanted to defect to another party, it would be a tsunami, but said he would not leave the PDP for anybody.

    He said: “We are aware of these unstable characters. We know that they are joining APP. Let them face us in an election.

    “Don’t bother about abuses. We have thick skins and we don’t even know what abuse is. So don’t say anybody is abusing you.

    “They thought we would come to them and start begging. Are we begging? We are not begging.

    “Let them go and see what is happening in Abuja. They know if we are talking about politics in Nigeria, we are more relevant than them.

    “If today I say I will move to another party, it will be a tsunami. But we have said we will remain where we are.”

    While he spoke, he was intermittently interrupted with applauses and solidarity chants by the crowd.

    The PDP state congress took place at the state party Secretariat on Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

    Governor Fubara and his supporters were absent, although in the programme of the event Fubara was captured in items nine and 17 for arrival and delivery of a speech.

    Factional Speaker of the state assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and other PDP bigwigs in the state were seen spotting delegates’ identification cards at the occasion.

    Fubara’s loyalists had obtained an interim injunction from the state High Court stopping the congress while those of Wike got a similar order from a Federal High Court to proceed with it.

    Wike declared that he has no regret supporting and working for President Bola Tinubu.

    His words: “We’re fully in Tinubu’s government. I have no regrets about it, and I will continue to be there. Anybody who is angry should go hug the transformer.

    “I didn’t hide it in 2023 when I said PDP, I would not support you for presidential election. I did not regret it.

    “When Buhari was there, you never saw me play two sides. Some of them now love the President at night but during the day, they say different things.”

  • Steer clear of Rivers PDP structure, Wike warns Govs

    Steer clear of Rivers PDP structure, Wike warns Govs

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has warned some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors to steer clear of the structure of the party in Rivers State.

    Wike, who attended Rivers PDP Congress amidst cheers from hundreds of party faithful, said any Governor meddling with the affairs of Rivers PDP would have his hands burnt.

    The former Governor, whose speech was intermittently interrupted with applauses and solidarity chants by the crowd of delegates and other party members, vowed to ignite political crisis in states of governors dabbling in Rivers PDP affairs.

    While issuing the stern warning, Wike assured his camp in the Rivers PDP that nobody would take away the party structures from them.

    Apparently referring to the Bauchi Governor, Wike said he would not give a damn insisting that any Governor trying to hand over the structures of the PDP to Siminialayi Fubara would not sleep well in his state.

    He said: “Let me assure all of you not while we live, anybody will take away the structure of PDP from us. Let me tell people, I hear that there are some governors, who said they would take away the structure and give to somebody. 

    “I pity those governors because I will put fire in their state. When God has given you peace, you say you don’t want peace, then whatever you see you take. I don’t understand. I don’t understand simply because I heard they got some money and their heads are getting big that you put hand in my own state. 

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    “Prepare because I have the capacity to also do the same thing in your own state. Whether you are from Bauchi I don’t give a damn. Whichever state you come from as far as I know that you are trying to put your hands in Rivers State, your hand will get burnt and you will never sleep in your state. 

    “You will never do governorship again, you will see political crisis as far as PDP is concerned. I have told them while you have started, when I start, don’t say I am the one that destroyed PDP. Allow Rivers State to conduct the affairs of the party”.

    The FCT Minister said they had done their part by electing a governor but that they had resolved to move forward since Fubara said they were no longer part of his plans.

    Wike encouraged the PDP loyalists to liken their rejection and maltreatment by the governor as a bad business insisting that not everybody business would yield the desired profit.

    He said they remained the party members and that they had taken over the affairs of their party praying that God would help them repeat the 2023 victory in 2027.

    He said: “I assure you, yes we have done our own part by electing a government in the state. If the government says it doesn’t want us, will you kill yourselves?

    Will you run away from the party you built?

    “We are the party members and we have taken over our party. The way we did it, how we did it in 2023, the same God will allow us, will support us and be with us in 2027. Let nobody be intimidated.

    “I know how it is when you have worked hard and at the end of the day you are pushed away; I know how bad you will feel. But again, it is not every business you enter into that you gain profit, so see this one as one of those businesses that you invested and you lost.

    “That will not make you not to continue to work hard, invest in the future and make your profit. So, be strong. They said that that we are finished, but they are finished. Anywhere you see them say that they are finished”.

    Wike said they were aware that Fubara and his supporters had concluded the arrangement to join the All Peoples Party (APP) and asked them to hasten their defections and face the PDP in the next election.

    The Ministers said if he wanted to defect to another party, it would be a tsunami but that he would not leave the PDP for anybody.

    He said: “We are aware of these unstable characters. We know that they are joining APP. Let them wait during the time, they should face us in an election. Don’t bother about abuses. We have thick skins and we don’t even know what abuse is. So don’t say anybody is abusing. 

    “They thought we would come to them and start begging, are we begging. We are not begging. Let them go and see what is happening in Abuja. They know if we are talking about politics in Nigeria, we are more relevant than them. If today I say I will move to another party, it will be a tsunami. But we have said we will remain where we are”.

    The PDP Congress went on at the party Secretariat along the Aba Road without the participation of the state Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara and his supporters in the party.

    Curiously, in the programme of event, Fubara was captured on items nine and 17 for arrival and delivery of a speech while the arrival of his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu was also listed on the programme. 

    Speaker Martins Amaewhule and other PDP bigwigs in the state were seen spotting delegates’ identification cards at the occasion.

    The absence of Fubara and his loyalists was in connection with an order of a state High Court, which stopped the exercise but the party Congress went ahead following an earlier order of the Federal High Court that supported the exercise.

  • Stop spreading lies against Fubara, Rivers PDP warns APC

    Stop spreading lies against Fubara, Rivers PDP warns APC

    The Rivers state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the caretaker committee chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Tony Okocha, to stop spreading lies against the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

    PDP in a statement on Tuesday, February 27, by its publicity secretary, Sydney Tambari Gbara, told Okocha that Rivers people were satisfied with the performance of Fubara, saying that governor was meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

    Gbara said: “Fubara is a household name in the state due to the commitment he has shown in bringing development, good governance and happiness to the people.

    “In less than six months in office, Governor Siminialayi Fubara has embarked on a number of people oriented projects cutting across the length and breath of the State.

    “Among the projects ongoing in the state are the multimillion naira Port Harcourt Ring Road, a major project that will cut through six local government areas, thereby easing movement of commerce and improve economic activities in the State. The Elelenwo and Bori Internal roads, the Ogoni- Andoni-Opobo/ Nkoro Unity road, among several others.”

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    Gbara said Fubara’s administration in partnership with a real estate developer was embarking on the construction of a 20,000 housing units in the state for low income earners.

    He said: “Such a government that is delivering services for the people of Rivers State cannot be referred to as lacking in governance. Chief Okocha is only trying in futility to downplay or whittle down the excellent performance of this

    “The governor had pro- actively put measures in place to better the livelihood of Rivers people in the face of the current economic hardship and hunger experienced in the country, of which Rivers State government is not responsible of.

    “In order to boost food production in the State, Sir Fubara had paid an inspection visit to the abandoned Songai farm in Tai LGA, the Buguma fish farm in Asalga LGA, the Garri processing factory in Oyigbo LGA, with the view to revamp and put them to use to ensure food sufficiency.

    “Governor Fubara also revived the Rivers State Micro Finance Agency, releasing the sum of N4Bn to the agency as loans to Rivers people interested in pursuing micro, small and medium scale businesses in the state.

    “What about the payment of one hundred thousand naira to each civil servant, the promotion of civil servants who were not promoted for the last 8 years by the previous administration and other largesse to Rivers people during the Christmas celebration, the implementation of N30,000 minimum wage to Local Government staffs plus the ongoing employment into the Rivers State Civil Service.”

    Gbara said the PDP was amazed that Okocha was angry at Rivers women Unite for Sim for staging a protest to drum support for the Governor and express their displeasure over the needless antagonism on Fubara’s administration by enemies of the State.

    He said: “Tony Okocha should be reminded,that women protesting half naked happens all over the world and is a recuring decimal in politics,in 2019 Okrika and Kalabari women came out and protested half naked to protect the votes of the immediate past Governor from being hijacked by the Army.

    “What every responsible Rivers man and woman should be concern about is the massage the women came out to convey and how to address it. In the mist of all these uncommon achievements by this administration within this period, only a politically blind and deaf person that has been biten by the bug of ignorant and insensitivity will come out to criticise it.

    “We advise the NNDC representative once again to concentrate on his job or to always cross check facts before coming out to embarrass himself in the media.

    “The PDP restates its confidence in Rivers people to stand firm with Governor Siminialayi Fubara, who has shown enough capacity and competence to give them purposeful leadership.”

  • BREAKING: Rivers PDP chairman Akawor resigns, joins Tinubu’s govt

    BREAKING: Rivers PDP chairman Akawor resigns, joins Tinubu’s govt

    The Rivers state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Desmond Akawor has tendered his resignation letter following his appointment by President Bola Tinubu.

    The president recently appointed Akawor as the federal commissioner representing Rivers in the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

    Akawor sent his resignation letter dated November 22, to the acting national chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum on Friday, November 24.

    He said he accepted the opportunity offered him to serve the country by President Tinubu after consulting his leaders and family members.

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    He said he handed over all his former duties as the state party chairman to his deputy, Aaron Chukwuemeka.

    He said: “I have recently been nominated for a federal appointment to the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission as the federal commissioner representing Rivers State.

    ”After consultation with my leaders and family, I have accepted this opportunity to serve our country, which I consider a national service.

    “Consequently, I have resigned my position as the Rivers State party chairman of our great party – the PDP, and immediately handed over all duties to the deputy party chairman, Aaron Chukwuemeka, who has commenced an action in this stead.

    “I am grateful for the opportunity to have steered the ship of our great party, the PDP at the state level from 2020 to 2023, and especially grateful for your support and the support of the national body during my tenure.

    “My family and I are extremely grateful to Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his consideration and for finding me worthy to serve in this capacity.

    “I remain committed to the ideals of our party always and will continue to be available to provide, steer, and support all party affairs whenever I am called upon.”

  • Rivers PDP chair, SARS commander disagree on death of party’s agent

    The Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, and the state’s Commander of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Akin Fakorede, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), have disagreed on the death of the party’s agent during the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly elections, Dr. Ferry Gberegbe,

    Fakorede, a lawyer, while testifying on May 6 before the investigating members of the Joint House of Representatives’  Committees on Army, Police, Human Rights and Justice, led by the Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Army, Rimande Shawule Kwewum, at the Rivers House of Assembly, Port Harcourt, said the victim died of food poisoning.

    Obuah, in an online statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, alleged that SARS operatives killed Gberegbe, a lecturer with Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori-Ogoni, the headquarters of Khana LGA of Rivers, who was a former Chairman of the polytechnic’s branch of the Association of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ACSUP).

    Rivers PDP chairman described as heartless, callous, awful to the ear and unimaginably conscienceless the testimony of Fakorede, concerning the dastardly killing of Gberegbe.

    Obuah faulted Fakorede’s testimony before the committee members and expressed shock that the SARS commander could deny his involvement and responsibility for the barbaric act, which he claimed Fakorede personally masterminded.

    Fakorede, while speaking through the telephone from Abuja last night, after meeting with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, said: “I represented the police at the public hearing. We only called for an autopsy to be conducted to determine the death of Dr. Gberegbe. We also placed before the committee members, intelligence report at our disposal.

    “We know for a fact that Dr. Gberegbe was not shot by the police. We have credible intelligence on the circumstances that led to his death and we simply put the intelligence in the public domain, through the committee, along with our findings. Why was the deceased taken to a hospital 60 kilometres away, when many well-equipped hospitals are closer to the scene of the incident.”

    The SARS commander also revealed that the lecturer of Ken Saro-Wiwa polytechnic actually died on March 16, 2019 at St. Patrick Hospital, Port Harcourt and not during the March 9 elections, as alleged.

    He said: “Dr. Gberegbe was at all times a part of the plot that eventually took his life. He was killed by his friends and associates, and not by his foes. Most certainly not by SARS or any police unit or operative. He was shot at Elimgbu by pipeline, not too far from his residence along Court Road, Port Harcourt and not in Bori in Khana LGA, as alleged.

    “The bullet that landed Dr. Gberegbe in the hospital was not fired from the barrel of a police rifle, but from the mouth of a locally-fabricated pistol. He did not die from gunshot injury, but from cardiopulmonary arrest (heart attack) accentuated by food poisoning. He was a well and healthy man on the day he died. He died on March 16, 2019 at exactly 10:05 p.m., with a bowl of poisoned food in his hands. He shouted for help in the middle of a meal and gave up the ghost and that ended a long drama in which he had joined to write the script, intended by all the conspirators to cover up a huge fraud in which thieves without honour decided to outwit one another and enjoy a booty meant for many party faithful.

    “Dr. Gberegbe was a leading member of Deywell cult gang. During the March 9, 2019 governorship election, his role was to co-ordinate and supervise the various cult groups in their assigned roles. The money for all the cult groups, running into several millions of naira, was handed over to him for disbursement to relevant actors. It was his attempt to outmaneuver members of his group that led to his death.”

    Fakorede also stated that no human being would have survived bleeding from a gunshot injury on a trip from Bori to Port Harcourt, a journey of not less than 60 kilometres.

  • Rivers PDP alleges conspiracy at election tribunal

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of conspiracy, alleging that the commission has refused to assign the defence of the governorship election to any of its lawyers so that the result can be cancelled.

    The African Action Congress (AAC) candidate in the governorship election, Biokpomabo Awara, who came second with 179,859 votes as against Governor Nyesom Wike’s 886,264 votes, is challenging Wike’s victory.

    According to the PDP, it is afraid that when no defence is entered before the stipulated time, the tribunal will cancel the election results for want of diligent defence.

    The chairman, Felix Obua, said: “INEC has deliberately refused to assign the case to any lawyer, knowing that entering of defence is time barred. The plot is to not enter defence until the expiration of the required time so that the tribunal will have a good excuse to cancel the governorship election.

    “We are telling the world that INEC has not assigned the defence of the result to any lawyer as we speak.”

    Wike, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won the governorship election with a margin of 712,405.

    INEC had first suspended all electoral processes in Rivers due to violence. The electoral body later lifted the suspension and continued the collation of results, which was eventually concluded on April 3.

    But INEC pleaded for more time to enable the commission get a clearer picture of the developments around the governorship election appeal tribunal.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC)  has refuted the allegations. The Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, said: “Forget the alarm by PDP. It is a ploy to cover up their collaboration with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Effanga. Please do not be deceived by their antics.”

    Effanga and INEC’s Head of Voter Education and Publicity in Rivers, Edwin Enabor, could not be reached for comments.

  • Wike: no conspiracy can defeat Rivers PDP tomorrow

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has boasted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot lose in tomorrow’s elections because the people are firmly with the party.

    According to him, tomorrow’s elections will be used to end the illegal activities of political monsters in the state.

    A statement by the governor’s media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, said Wike spoke during a town hall meeting with leaders of Rivers East Senatorial District yesterday, urged the people not to be intimidated by soldiers.

    He said: “There is no way the PDP will lose Rivers State and they tell the world that the elections are credible. Even if we want to play politics, how will they explain to the International community that PDP lost to an unknown party that did not campaign?

    “How many soldiers will they deploy to implement the rigging? I am not worried about their bringing more troops from Sokoto and Kafanchan, God is our security. During the Presidential and National Assembly elections, they struggled for 25 per cent, but they did not get it.”

    The governor noted that Rivers has passed the stage where a failed politician will direct the people on who to vote three days to the election. He reiterated that nobody will play God in Rivers State, and emphasised that Rivers people must stand firm to give PDP victory tomorrow.

    “Nobody should be afraid; come out and vote for the PDP. Your votes will be counted; your votes will be protected. We will win tomorrow because we know that God is with us. Those who think they have the power will face God. They want to disrupt the elections to instigate postponement; do not fall into their hands,” he added.

    Former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Onueze Okocha said Wike has done well and will be voted in for a second term.

    He described Wike as a great product that will lead the PDP to victory without noise, and promised that Rivers East will continue to promote the governor’s achievements.

    Former governor Celestine Omehia noted that everything about the election has gone smoothly for Rivers PDP because God was involved. He boasted that the PDP will win tomorrow’s elections.