The noise over who owns Rivers State PDP structure and leads the party in the state may have come to an end with the recent political developments.
Nyesom Wike’s political associates had repeatedly said the former Governor; now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) owns Rivers PDP structure and is the leader of the party in the state.
Political commentators were however united in their agreement that as the governor and Number one citizen, SimFubara is the leader of the party and its structure in the state.
The brouhaha over the issue of structure may have however ended with the emergence of the Action Peoples Party (APP) on the political scene of Rivers state. APP which had been lying dormant in the state and even at the national level, had suddenly woken up from its deep slumber, capitalizing on the crisis in the PDP to take control of affairs.
Recently, the party welcomed top Rivers PDP members, particularly Caretaker committee Chairmen/ Councillors who were eager to fulfill their political ambition into its fold, thus inheriting the over-bloated PDP structure. These new members of the APP were hitherto holding forte at the 23 local government areas of Rivers State and in control of the PDP structure in those areas. They are politicians the Rivers PDP could have used to win elections, particularly the forth coming local government elections in the state.
The lists include, Amb. Chijioke Ihunwo, Chairman Caretaker Committee of Obio/Akpor LGA, Chibudom Ezu – Ahoada-East, Joseph Wilfred – Abua-Odual, Iyekor Ikporo – Ahoada-West, Hon. Mrs. Tonye Oniyide – Akuku Toru, Hon. Lazarus Gogote Nteogwuile – Andoni, Hon. Dr. Sule Amachree – Asari Toru, Hon. Anengi Barasua – Bonny, Dr. Harry Agiriye – Degema, Chief Brain Gokpa-Eleme, Barr. David Omereji – Emohua, Hon. John Ngubo Otamiri – Etche, Hon. Monday Dumiye-Gokana, Barr. Isreal Abosi – Ikwerre, Hon. Martins Nwigbo – Khana, Hon. Prince Isaac Umejuru – Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ishmael Oforibika -Ogu/Bolo and Hon. Igwe Achese – Okrika.
Others are; Hon. Promise Reginald-Omuma, Enyiada Cookey-gam-Opobo/Nkoro, Hon. Gift Okere-Oyigbo, Ezebunwo Ichemati- Port Harcourt and Hon. Mathew Nenubari Dike-Tai.
Governor Fubara had earlier reportedly directed these LGA chairmen to contest the forth coming local government elections on the platform of the Action Peoples Party (APP). The directive to the 23 local government chairmen to move to the APP came after Governor Fubara who had been at daggers-drawn with his erstwhile godfather, Nyesom Wike was sidelined in the struggle for the control of the PDP and his loyalists denied forms to partake in the congresses that produced the new structure of the party in the state. With this development, the control of the PDP in Rivers State was vested on Wike, the FCT Minister.
However, with the mass movement of these politicians to the APP, the Rivers PDP structure may no longer be as powerful as it used to be, a scenario which portends danger to the crisis-ridden PDP in the state.
Recall that when the tenure of the former local government chairmen in the state expired and they refused to vacate offices, citing Rivers state local government Amendment Law which extended their tenure, Governor Sim Fubara ignored them and appointed caretaker committees to oversee the affairs of the LGAs pending the conduct of LG elections.
However, in a move that smacked of politics, the police fearing crisis, had barricaded the councils’ secretariats and prevented the caretaker chairmen from operating from there. Rivers people condemned the police barricade of the secretariats and called on the authorities to re-open them. With the closure of the secretariats, the newly appointed caretaker chairmen were forced to carry out their duties from undisclosed venues. These caretaker chairmen who were now holding the APP tickets may likely emerge victorious in the local government elections scheduled to take place on the 5th of October in the state. And if they won, APP would become the inheritor of the grassroots political structure which had caused too much crises in the state.
