A group of 60 federal lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives, known as the G-60, has strongly denied the legitimacy of a PDP congress allegedly held in Rivers State last weekend.
The lawmakers claim that what took place was not an official party congress, but rather a social gathering hosted by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his friends.
In a statement issued by the spokesperson of the G-60, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo), the lawmakers dismissed the event as a “laughable and futile exercise.”
They emphasized that Wike’s gathering was in defiance of a court order that had explicitly prohibited any congress from taking place in Rivers State. Ugochinyere said, “Take it from me; there is no PDP state congress yet in Rivers State. Wike, out of desperation to look good before his dwindling followers, who were losing confidence in him, held an owambe party and called it state congress.”
The controversy stems from the broader context of the PDP’s state congresses, which were scheduled for two Saturdays ago. These congresses have been marred by disputes in several states, including Rivers, Benue, Katsina, and Kogi.
In Rivers State, the situation is particularly contentious due to an ongoing power struggle between Wike and the state’s current governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Governor Fubara and his supporters boycotted the purported congress, further deepening the rift within the party.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, which had authorized the congresses, is now caught in a dispute with the PDP Governors’ Forum, which insists that Governor Fubara must be recognized as the legitimate leader of the party in Rivers State.
In light of the escalating tension, the NWC postponed its planned meeting this week to next week, indicating that the issues surrounding the Rivers State congress would be reviewed by the party’s leadership.
The G-60 lawmakers were particularly critical of Wike’s actions, accusing him of attempting to maintain control over the PDP’s structures in Rivers State despite the court’s injunction. They argued that Wike’s actions were not only illegal but also a sign of desperation.
“The court decision was clear and the congress was stopped from holding so if people out of desperation gather to hold a family or kindred meeting from their hideout under the guise of congress, you can only but pity and laugh at their political frolicking caused by joblessness and desperate quest for power,” Ugochinyere added.
The lawmakers reiterated that the event Wike hosted was not a legitimate PDP congress, and any decisions or actions taken during the event would be null and void. They stressed that the court’s interim order, issued by Justice Charles Wali of the Rivers State High Court in July, remains in effect, prohibiting the PDP from holding any congress in the state.
The G-60’s statement emphasizes the ongoing divisions within the PDP, particularly in Rivers State, where the battle for control of the party’s structures continues to create friction between different factions. As the party’s leadership prepares to address the situation in the coming week, the outcome of this internal conflict could have significant implications for the PDP’s future in Rivers State and beyond.