The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP-NWC) has affirmed Nname Ewor, an ally of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, as the party’s chairperson in Rivers State, dealing yet another political blow to former Governor Nyesom Wike.
The party’s action followed Monday’s verdict of a State High Court in Port Harcourt, which sacked Mr Wike’s ally, Aaron Chukwuemeka-led PDP executive, in the state and also restrained them from functioning in that capacity.
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The court also nullified the party’s Ward, Local Government, and State congresses held on 27 July, 10 August, and 31 August 2024, respectively.
Mr Chukwuemeka-led state executive of the party emerged from the 31 August 2024 congress.
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The suit was instituted by two Port Harcourt-based lawyers, Edwin Woko and Love Otuonye, alongside other PDP members against the party national chairperson, the state chairperson, Mr Chukwuemeka, and nine others who emerged from the state congress.
After sacking Mr Chukwuemeka-led executives, the court granted the applicants relief, seeking to declare them the authentic and subsisting members of the PDP state executive committee. It directed the PDP and its national leadership to recognise and deal with them accordingly.
“The court recognises the applicants as the authentic and subsisting members of the Rivers State executive committee of the PDP,” the ruling stated.”
PDP affirms Fubara’s ally as party chairperson in Rivers
Following the court verdict, the spokesperson of PDP, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement posted on X on Thursday, said the party has received, considered and accepted the court’s verdict.
“Consequently, in line with the judgement of the court delivered on 13 January, the NWC affirms the Hon. Nname Robinson Ewor-led Rivers State Executive to henceforth pilot the affairs of the PDP Rivers State Chapter in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“The NWC commends the decision of the court, which reaffirms the famed position of the PDP as the bastion of transparency in the due process of internal democracy and strict adherence to the Rule of Law and Party Guidelines in the conduct of Congresses and other activities,” Mr Ologunagba said.
The national leadership of the party called leaders of the party in Rivers to work with the new executives and urged the new leadership of the party in the state to work hard to unite the party in the oil-rich state.
Rivers crisis, party legal tussles
In addition to splitting lawmakers in the state’s assembly into two factions, the political feud between Messrs Fubara and Wike also split the PDP, the ruling party in the state, into two factions.
Mr Wike’s faction, which previously controlled the party structure in the state, boycotted last year’s local government election in Rivers, forcing Mr Fubara’s loyalists to seek an alternative in a relatively unknown APP, whose candidates eventually won the 22 chairmanship seats so far declared.
Regarding last year’s party congresses in the state, a State High Court barred the PDP from conducting them, but a Federal High Court overturned the verdict.
Days before the exercise, another state high court restrained the PDP, its national chairperson, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and their agents from organising state congresses, pending the matter’s determination.
Notwithstanding the last court injunction, the PDP proceeded with the congresses, prompting a legal challenge that culminated in the nullification of the exercise and the sacking of executives.
The PDP’s affirmation of Mr Fubara’s allies as party executive in the state is a severe political blow to Mr Wike. It is another advantage to Mr Fubara, who has continued to consolidate his leadership in the state after successfully conducting local elections and swearing in his loyalists as council officials. This move has given him control of the political structure at the grassroots, the focal point of his political battle with his predecessor.
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