Rivers Crisis: Gov. Fubara plots defection from PDP

...as Wike moves to control state PDP, APC

The political crisis in Rivers State in which the camps of Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, continue to go at each other, took a fresh turn last week with the bombing of the Action Peoples Party (APP) secretariat in the GRA axis of Port Harcourt, the state capital, in the early hours of Monday, August 12.

This incident, sources say, is not unconnected with the preparations ahead of the October 5 local government election, and the Governor Fubara’s alleged plan to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APP.

“The new wave of crisis I suspect, is about, who will take control of local governments ahead of 2027 election,” said Amadi Nyebuchi, a political observer in Port Harcourt. “Wike is trying to ensure that he produces the chairmen because whoever does so will have a grip on the grassroots, more so now that chairmen have been granted autonomy.

“But I don’t see Fubara as governor sitting back to let that happen. He has the street support, but Wike is coming with federal backing. I doubt if federal backing would be enough. I think Fubara will have his way if he joins another party because in PDP he appears to have lost out. But nothing is certain at the moment.”

Wike, the current minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who remains officially a member of the PDP, even as he serves in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC) federal government, appears to have used his influence to hijack to party’s structure in the state, ahead of the local government election, forcing Fubara to consider an alternative platform in APP.

Uche Nnadi, the National Chairman of the APP, who spoke to newsmen in Port Harcourt after the Monday bomb incident, confirmed that it had to do with the local government election in the state scheduled for October 5, 2024, where he said the party was poised to make a statement.

Nnadi, who described the attack as treasonable and an act of terrorism by those he dubbed criminal elements, said that it occurred a few minutes after some members of the party left the office after a meeting at midnight of Sunday, expressing happiness that God spared their lives.

“It is really a sad day for democracy. We condemn in strong terms the bombing of our Rivers State chapter secretariat. It is a heinous act. It is an act of terrorism, a treasonable act,” he said.

“We thank God Almighty, who spared the lives of our members. Immediately they left after a strategic meeting in the dead of the night, this heinous act was carried out. God spared the lives of our members so that we did not lose anyone to these criminal elements.”

While linking the bombing to the political crisis that had plagued the state in the last one year, Nnadi said, “We are all aware of what is happening in Rivers State, that it is all about seizing the treasury of Rivers State. We know this is not the first time this act of terrorism is happening.

Speculations have continued to be rife that Governor Fubara plans to move away from the main opposition party, under whose platform he was elected governor in 2023, due to the alleged hijack of the PDP structure in the state by Wike.

Governor Fubara had recently expressed frustration with the PDP and its role in the state’s political crisis, stating, while hosting a delegation of the Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialization, led by its Chairman, Senator Orji Uzo Kalu, to Government House, Port Harcourt in June that Rivers state would no longer be held back by party affiliation, but would, instead, stand firm on its own soil to defend democracy.

“In our State today, we are no longer doing Party. We are doing a movement, so you don’t blame me if I don’t go to the side of the Party too much. The Party has failed us here, so what we are doing here is to stand with our two legs on the soil of Rivers State, so that we can defend democracy,” he had said.

Wike takes firm control of State party structure

Over the course of the past few days, Wike, allegedly backed PDP national chairman, Ilya Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyawu, appears to have taken control of the party’s structure in the state, effectively pulling the rug from under the governor’s feat, as he continues to work towards what seems to be an attempt to ensure that Gov. Fubara is denied a second term.

On Saturday, July 27, the state PDP held its ward congresses despite two court orders stopping the party from going ahead with the exercise.

Justice Charles Wali of the Rivers State High Court had a day prior, on Friday barred the party, its National Chairman, Iliya Damagum, and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, or their agents, from gathering anywhere in Rivers State to hold ward, local government, and state congresses pending the determination of the suit before the court.

The Judge further directed the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to enforce the order.

Before Wali’s order, Justice Sobere Biambo had issued an order in a suit filed by David Omereji and 10 others stopping the PDP, its national chairperson, national financial secretary, and national organizing secretary from conducting the congress.

But a Federal High Court in Abuja was said to have countered the first order and allowed the party to proceed with its congresses. Justice Peter Lifu had barred the DSS, the police, INEC, and seven others from “stopping, truncating, or disrupting” the congresses.

Business Hallmark learnt that the Wike faction conducted the Congress, with the Speaker of the 27-member factional House of Assembly loyal to the Minister, Martin Chike Amaewhule, said to have participated in the exercise in which Sir Chukwuemeka Owhor was said to have been reelected as Chairman for a second term, while Wobe Mike Junior was reportedly elected the Vice-Chairman; ThankGod Wuzor, Secretary; Ogbonna Joy Wobiareari, Assistant Secretary; Mr. Nyekwe Victor Nyebuchi – Publicity Secretary.

The Congress, which apparently has the endorsement of the party’s national leadership, means that the Rivers chapter is firmly under Wike’s control, hence the speculations that Fubara may join the APP.

Rivers Leaders Seek Tinubu’s Intervention

Meanwhile, the Coalition of Rivers State Leaders last week, called on President Bola Tinubu, to wade into the political brawl between the two parties, noting that such intervention was necessary to protect the state.

Also they accused the federal government of neglecting the situation, which, according to them, was escalating tensions in the state and could lead to deeper conflict if not addressed.

Led by Chief Sunnie Chukumele, the group condemned what they termed “the ongoing efforts by Wike’s allies to destabilize the government,” including recent utterances by the former Interim Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Tony Okocha, accusing the governor of sponsoring the Anti-Bad Governance Protest, which they described as inflammatory.

The Coalition, while briefing the media on Wednesday, criticized the Assembly faction led by Rt. Hon. Amaewhule for attempting to starve the state of funds through the court, warning that such moves could spark a crisis.

They also denounced former Local Government Chairmen, who, they say, have refused to step down, despite the expiration of their terms.

Update: Fubara has denied planning to leave the PDP