The ongoing political feud within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is approaching a critical point as the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) prepares to meet on Wednesday. The conflict, which has created a deep divide within the party, particularly in Rivers State, may lead to a major showdown between PDP governors and Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Rivers State.
For months, Rivers State has been embroiled in a political crisis, with Wike and current Governor Siminalayi Fubara, both members of the PDP, at odds. This disagreement has significantly disrupted governance in the state. The dispute has also divided the Rivers State House of Assembly, with one faction loyal to Wike, led by Martin Amaewhule, and another supporting Fubara, led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
Efforts to mediate the conflict by President Bola Tinubu and other prominent figures have so far been unsuccessful. The two factions have taken their disagreements to court, with legal battles being fought both in Port Harcourt and Abuja.
Despite a court order preventing the PDP from holding congresses in Rivers State, the NWC, under the leadership of Amb Umar Damagum, went ahead with the congress, ultimately handing control of the state party structure to Wike. This move has intensified the tension within the party.
Chief Edwin Clark, a prominent South-South leader and former Federal Commissioner for Information, publicly criticized Wike for allegedly using his close relationship with President Tinubu to pressure Governor Fubara and the PDP. Clark’s open letter to the party leadership accused Wike of undermining the party’s stability.
The PDP governors have rallied behind Fubara, urging the NWC to recognize him as the rightful leader of the party in Rivers State. In response, Wike issued a stern warning from the PDP secretariat in Port Harcourt.
“Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of the PDP from us. I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states,” Wike declared.
Emmanuel Agbo, the Director General of the PDP Governors Forum, confirmed that the governors are preparing to address Wike’s threats.
“The governors will meet and take a position,” Agbo stated.
However, he did not specify when the meeting would take place. The upcoming NWC meeting at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja is expected to be contentious. According to an anonymous senior NWC member, the leaders will discuss the recent congresses in Rivers State and the governors’ stance on the ongoing conflict.
“There is a strong possibility that the PDP Governors will communicate their position to the NWC. If they do, this will be addressed at the meeting. The ongoing litigation involving defected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly will also be a key topic,” the source revealed.
The last NWC meeting highlighted the divisions within the party’s leadership. While Damagum and his allies supported Wike by conducting the Rivers congress despite the court order, other NWC members, including the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, and the National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyegikuro, argued that proper procedures should be followed, in deference to Governor Fubara.
This internal discord was further complicated when Wike’s legal team, without the party’s consent, appealed a court order that barred key state officials from interacting with defected lawmakers. Ajibade attempted to withdraw the appeal, but a letter from Damagum and PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, sent to the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, stated that the party was not involved in the withdrawal, creating further confusion.
Kola Ologbondiyan, a former PDP National Publicity Secretary, argued that Damagum’s actions could warrant a vote of no confidence.
“Yes, a vote of no confidence should be passed in Damagum. The NWC must act to save the PDP,” Ologbondiyan said in an interview.
Okechukwu Osuoha, the party’s National Deputy Legal Adviser, also called for the NWC to recognize Fubara as the leader of the PDP in Rivers State.
“The structure of the party is anchored on the state governor. The NWC should apply the same standard in Rivers as it does in other states,” Osuoha stated.
Timothy Osadolor, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, echoed these sentiments, urging swift action to resolve the crisis.
He criticized Wike’s recent statements as “unnecessary and unsavoury,” calling on the party to respond firmly to his threats.
“It’s time to tell him that, look, you’re either in or you’re out,” Osadolor asserted.
Meanwhile, Deputy National Publicity Secretary Ibrahim Abdullahi suggested that Wike might face disciplinary action for his conduct during the 2023 elections. Abdullahi revealed that the PDP’s disciplinary committee, led by Chief Tom Ikimi, would investigate allegations of anti-party activities against Wike.
As the NWC prepares to meet, the tension within the PDP is palpable. While some party leaders, like Ologunagba, downplay the possibility of a confrontation, it is clear that the stakes are high.
“Nobody is above this party,” Ologunagba stated, emphasizing the importance of upholding the party’s constitution and resolving the conflict according to established guidelines.