Politics
Rivers: PDP governors, Wike’s clash expected as NWC meets Wednesday
Barring last-minute changes, the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, may be heading for a showdown as the party’s National Working Committee meets on Wednesday.
Governance in Rivers State has been partially affected for months due to the ongoing political conflict between Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, both of whom are PDP members.
The feud has caused a split within the state House of Assembly, with a faction led by Martin Amaewhule supporting Wike, while the other faction, led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, is loyal to Fubara.
Despite efforts by President Bola Tinubu and other prominent figures in Rivers State and across the country to mediate, the conflict persists, with the factions engaging in multiple legal disputes in Port Harcourt and Abuja courts.
Despite a court injunction stopping the PDP from holding congresses in Rivers State, the Amb Umar Damagum-led NWC conducted the congress which handed control of the Rivers State party structure to Wike.
In an open letter addressed to the party leadership, former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, accused Wike of using his close relationship with Tinubu to mount undue pressure on Fubara and the PDP.
The PDP governors also expressed support for Fubara, urging the party’s NWC to grant him his “rightful” position as the leader of the party in the state.
In response, Wike, at the PDP secretariat in Port Harcourt, said he would take decisive action in PDP-controlled states.
“Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of the PDP from us. But let me tell people, I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give it back to somebody.
“I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states. When God has given you peace, you say you don’t want peace – anything you see you take.”
When contacted, the Director General of the PDP Governors Forum, Emmanuel Agbo, stated that a meeting to address Wike’s threat was imminent.
“He addressed the governors specifically. The governors will meet and they will take a position. The Secretariat is to convey their (Governors) positions. Until that is done, I don’t have any take on it,” he said.
When questioned about when the governors would convene, Agbo responded: “Once I get a confirmation, I will let the press know.”
Similarly, the NWC meeting is set to take place on Wednesday (tomorrow) at Wadata Plaza, the PDP national headquarters in Abuja.
A senior NWC member who wished to remain anonymous, as he is not authorised to speak on the matter, indicated that the party leaders were expected to review and discuss the PDP recently-held ward and state congresses, and governors’ position on Rivers in the upcoming meeting.
“We anticipate that the PDP Governors will contact the NWC to convey their stance on Rivers State and their preferred approach.
“If they do, this will be addressed at the NWC meeting. The meeting will also discuss the ongoing litigation involving the defected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly,” the source volunteered.
Recall that the last PDP NWC meeting revealed a clear division among the members.
Damagum and several others approved the conduct of the Rivers congress in favour of Wike despite the court injunction, while the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and the National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyegikuro, insisted that the correct procedure should be followed in the interest of Fubara.
On July 8, 2024, the Rivers State High Court issued an ex parte order barring key state officials from engaging with the defected lawmakers.
Unexpectedly, Wike’s lawyers appealed the order without the party’s consent, including that of the National Legal Adviser.
Although Ajibade attempted to withdraw the appeal on July 24, a letter dated August 15 from Damagum and PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, sent to the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt clarified that the PDP was not involved in the withdrawal.
“All these issues will be discussed,” the source said.
A member of the National Executive Committee and former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, stated that the letter from Damagum and Anyanwu contradicting the National Legal Adviser provides sufficient grounds for the other NWC members to issue a vote of no confidence in the acting national chairman.
In an exclusive chat on Monday, Ologbondiyan stated that it was up to the NWC to save the PDP, adding that Nigerians were looking to the party to rescue them from the maladministration of the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.
He stated, “Yes, a vote of no confidence should be passed in Damagum. The NWC has more than enough capacity; what warranted that decision was the fact that Damagum, acting as national chairman, and national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, wrote to the court and contradicted the National Legal Adviser.
“Look, it is up to the National Working Committee to make the decision, and the ball is in their court to handle it as they deem fit. But what we are saying is that you cannot use the authority of your office to go against the National Legal Adviser in court.
“It was an aberration of norms. The constitution is clear on the role of the National Legal Adviser. What the national chairman and the national secretary did was a violation of the constitution. I do not foresee a situation in which nothing will be done, and I do not want to contemplate it.”
Another member of the National Executive Committee and the party’s National Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha, urged the NWC to treat Fubara like other governors regarding party structure.
In an exclusive interview, Osuoha stated, “What is applicable is that the governor of the state is the leader of the party in the state.
“The structure of the party is anchored on the state governor. Therefore, the NWC should apply what happened in other states to Rivers.
“In other states where the PDP has a governor, the structure of the party revolves around the governor. So whatever has been done in other states should be reciprocated in Rivers. After all, all states in Nigeria are equal, and they must consider the important role Rivers State plays in Nigeria. We cannot afford to lose control of the state.”
Also commenting, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, said there should be no pretence or delay among Rivers State party stakeholders and the NWC in implementing the PDP governors’ position.
Osadolor, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, stated, “And what is more important is that an amicable resolution to the Rivers imbroglio is achieved for the party’s interest.
“What I know is that there is no dispute as to who the leader of the party in Rivers is and that is Governor Sim Fubara.”
On Wike’s response to the PDP governors, Osadolor said, “I think the speech by ex-Governor Wike was very unnecessary and unsavoury.
“Wike’s statement is unfortunate. A man who should be busy apologising to the party or trying to seek reconciliation should not be grandstanding, throwing tantrums, and issuing threats to governors who are keeping the party’s flag flying.
“So I think it’s high time the Governors’ Forum and the NWC sit down and take a position on leaders like Wike, no matter how highly placed or how much interest the person has. They need to address such leaders squarely and draw the line firmly and clearly.”
Osadolor, who called on the party’s organs to respond appropriately to Wike, stated that his ongoing attacks on the party would no longer be tolerated.
“This is important so that in the future, we won’t have these types of people playing larger than life. The party is supreme and must act as a supreme entity. I believe that an adequate response should be given to the threat he was making.
“As an officer of the party, I would think that he has made one statement too many. It’s time to tell him that, look, you’re either in or you’re out.
“What that means is that if he wants to be in the party, he must play by and live by the rules. If he wants to be outside the party, let him be outside the party umbrella and throw his tantrums. But his move to remain in the party while undermining it will not be tolerated,” he said.
On Monday, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, suggested that Wike had been called to appear before the PDP disciplinary committee, led by Tom Ikimi, due to his involvement in anti-party activities during the 2023 elections.
Abdullahi, while appearing on Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily, said “Three weeks ago, we put up two committees in place, that of reconciliation and disciplinary, and Nyesom Wike is one of the persons to face the disciplinary committee, which is headed by elder statesman, Chief Tom Ikimi.
“The disciplinary committee will look into issues of anti-party activities. We’ve been receiving petitions regarding anti-party activities or sabotaging the party throughout the primary, leading to where we are now.
“These petitions against Wike and other party members have been aggregated and sent to the committee.
“Some party members even felt that Wike shouldn’t have gotten to this level still as a member of the PDP and they have been writing to the leadership.”
When contacted, Ologunagba, who played down any showdown in the forthcoming NWC meeting over Rivers matter, confirmed that other NEC members had been expressing their views in support of the Governors’ Forum.
On the possible showdown, Ologunagba stated, “I don’t work on speculations. It would be premature to assume that will happen.
“People have been expressing their views, which align with what the PDP Governors said in Taraba. That will be formally presented before the NWC meeting, and the NWC will discuss and take appropriate actions in line with those advisories and in accordance with the party’s constitution, which recognises the governor as the leader of the party.
“So we will wait for the matter to come before the NWC,” he added.
Ologunagba, while addressing a world press conference in Abuja, on Monday, confronted Wike, asserting that no one was above the party.
He said the Governors’ forum would resolve the Rivers crisis according to the party’s guidelines.
“We believe, and I will say this, that the Governors’ Forum remains one of the most potent organs of this party. We recognise and salute their courage and their contributions to the development of the party. We acknowledge their stabilising role and their reconciliatory efforts for the party.
“There is a connection between Nigerians and the PDP because it is called the Peoples Democratic Party. It is not a party of joiners, people who just came together for business or special purposes. It was founded on values, principles, and vision, which are well stated.
“The Governors’ Forum is a body with its regulations, and they address issues like this as they arise, particularly when they concern them. I respect the Governors’ Forum and believe they will address the matter.
“What we know is that nobody is above this party, and we must take that to heart. It’s like justice: the wheel of justice grinds slowly but ultimately grinds well.
“We urge our governors to do what is necessary to ensure stability in their states. The only way they can achieve stability is through performance. If you compare PDP governors with governors from other parties, you will find that PDP governors are oases of development,” he said.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ahead of the 2027 National Assembly elections, a mass protest voting movement may be building up in Anambra South Senatorial District, following reported moves by members of major political parties to support the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Ebuka Onunkwo.
The development is said to be linked to grievances among some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the treatment allegedly meted out to Onunkwo during previous political contests.
Onunkwo, who had previously contested the Anambra South senatorial seat under APGA, later emerged as the NDC candidate for the 2027 election.
Although the ADC is currently embroiled in legal disputes over the authentic candidates and the conduct of its primary elections, some members of the APC and APGA are also reportedly dissatisfied with developments within their respective parties.
It was gathered that a section of APGA members, in particular, are backing Onunkwo as a form of protest over the conduct of the party’s senatorial primary, while some members of other parties are also believed to be considering voting for him irrespective of their party affiliations.
Confirming the growing support for Onunkwo, the Chief Executive Officer of NOWAS Oil and Gas Limited and a major stakeholder in Anambra South politics, Chief Ignesus Ikechukwudere Nnubia, said the NDC candidate currently enjoys widespread acceptability across party lines.
Nnubia said the growing support for Onunkwo had made his party affiliation less significant, arguing that voters would ultimately vote according to their conscience and assessment of the candidates.
He said, “At the moment, the number of APGA members with him and supporting him makes one wonder what is left of that party. Even the remnants of the PDP have pitched their tents with him, while members of the ruling APC at the national level are also behind him.
“So, the party that he belongs to is not a factor at all. You know that it is a game of numbers, and people are going to vote according to their conscience and not necessarily because of the political party they belong to.
“People are not bound to vote for their party, and some of them are ready and willing to vote for him.
“We are not talking about the party because he will surely get votes from the NDC, APGA, APC and even other political parties that are already closing ranks to support him as their candidate.”
Nnubia further described Onunkwo as the candidate currently standing tall among the contenders for the Anambra South senatorial seat, expressing confidence that his emergence would usher in what he described as a “new dawn” for the district.
He said political parties should not be the major consideration for voters, stressing that what matters most is the ability of elected representatives to improve the lives of their constituents.
According to him, political parties exist because of the people, and therefore the influence of party structures and incumbency has its limits during elections.
Nnubia said those factors would ultimately be tested by the electorate in the 2027 election, which he described as a contest in which voters’ choices would determine the outcome.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ebonyi State election, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to attract more than ₦2 trillion in private-sector investment to the state within six months of assuming office if elected.
Odii made the pledge while addressing supporters in Lagos ahead of the formal commencement of his campaign.
He said his investment strategy would cover key sectors of the Ebonyi economy, including mining, hospitality, real estate and manufacturing.
According to the PDP candidate, he has identified more than 2,000 prospective investors, each capable of investing about ₦1 billion in the state.
“I have over 2,000 people who can invest ₦1 billion each. When you multiply it, you will get over ₦2 trillion. This has been structured in such a way that all aspects of the economy will be involved,” Odii said.
He said the proposed investment drive was designed not only to inject capital into the state but also to create jobs, expand the productive base of the economy and provide opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.
Odii said Ebonyi’s natural resources and strategic location placed it in a strong position to attract large-scale investments if its economic potential was properly harnessed.
He promised that his administration would prioritise private-sector participation, industrialisation and job creation while creating an enabling environment for both local and foreign investors.
The candidate also said existing businesses in the state would be supported to expand, while new investors would be encouraged to establish operations across various sectors.
His pledge comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with economic development, employment generation and wealth creation featuring prominently in his campaign message.
The proposed ₦2 trillion investment target within six months, if achieved, would represent a significant boost to Ebonyi’s economy and rank among the most ambitious private-sector investment mobilisation plans proposed in the state.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The planned visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra State has sparked controversy following a protest by the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, that the party was not informed about the visit.
Anosike said the APC in Anambra was never consulted or briefed about the proposed visit, adding that the party was taken aback by reports that the wife of the party’s national leader and presidential candidate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be visiting the state without recourse to the state chapter.
He said, “It is indeed strange that the First Lady of our presidential candidate is visiting Anambra State without recourse to the party in the state.
“The party wishes to state categorically that we are not part of the arrangements for the reception of our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, because the party was never put in the picture.”
Anosike also dismissed the mantra that “The Progressives Are Working Together”, being canvassed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), describing it as a smokescreen by the ruling party in Anambra to hijack President Tinubu’s re-election from the APC.
He said, “For instance, the APGA-led government in Anambra State did not interface with us on the organisation of the visit, and the party wonders if the progressives are indeed working together.”
The APC chairman, however, said the development would not compromise the First Lady’s visit, urging all APC members and supporters in the state to turn out and give Senator Oluremi Tinubu a warm welcome.
He stressed that despite the party’s reservations over the arrangements, APC members remained committed to welcoming the First Lady to Anambra State.
Former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Sagir Saleh, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Saleh, who served as deputy governor under former Governor Isa Yuguda, announced his resignation in a letter submitted to the party leadership in Katagum Local Government Area.
He cited personal reasons for his decision but did not provide further details.
His exit comes amid growing disagreements within the Bauchi APC following the party’s 2027 governorship primary. Other prominent members, including former governorship aspirant Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde, an associate of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, have also reportedly left the party.
Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), resigned on August 31, 2026, following his opposition to the emergence of former Bauchi Governor Muhammad Abubakar as the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate.
He had criticised the primary process and questioned how the candidate emerged.
Kunde also resigned from the APC in August, submitting his resignation to the party chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
The latest departures are coming as efforts continue to resolve internal disputes and disagreements among APC members in the state.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to assassinate former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ayodele issued the warning in a video shared on his verified X account on Sunday, urging both opposition figures to strengthen their security and remain vigilant.
The cleric did not identify those allegedly behind the purported plot but claimed that attempts were being made to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
According to him, divine intervention would prevent the alleged plan from succeeding.
“Obi and Atiku, be very conscious of your security. They are looking for any means to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
“But God will never allow it to happen. Watch out and be cautious about your security,” he said.
Ayodele also urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider travelling to the United States, alleging that there were forces in America working against his political fortunes.
The claims come as political activities and realignments intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
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