Forces outside Rivers State suspected to have worked against the interest of the PDP family in the state, may have failed in their bid to impose a structure within the party, with the ultimate aim of sweeping the sands off the feet of the governor, Sim Fubara.
On Thursday, Fubara had said in Port Harcourt, that he would hit all those who are working against his interest in the state, such that they would not even know the source of their afflictions. He was apparently referring to the forces who are fighting against his authority as governor.
About 24 hours after, the PDP leadership came up with a position on the leadership of the party in the state. The party’s pronouncement clearly favoured the governor, who, on Wednesday, warned that nobody should take his meekness for weakness.
He was apparently referring to the actions of his predecessor and FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, who has promised to deal with him for refusing to implement the agreement they had. Wike has not failed to remind Fubara that he was the one who put him in office and that he also had the formula on how to end his regime.
A statement by Fubara’s chief press secretary, Mr Nelson Chukwudi, on Friday quoted the national working committee of the party as saying that the list that flew around on social media on Thursday was fake and should be disregarded. It was that same list that Fubara had said would not stand.
The statement equally quoted the governor as saying that the position of the party that the executive officers whose tenure had expired in March, shall remain in their various capacities until the three months’ extension period approved by the NWC elapses, and new congresses conducted to replace them.
He recalled that a letter signed by the National Organising Secretary, Hon Umar M. Bature, dated Wednesday, March 27, 2024, addressed to the Chairman, Rivers State Caretaker Committee, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Aaron Chukwuemeka, and titled: “Approval of Wards, Local Government Area and State Caretaker Committee Members for Rivers State”, had clearly resolved the issue of the authentic members of the Caretaker Committees at the affected levels.
The letter, copied the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Iliya Damagum; Deputy National Chairman, South, His Excellency, Amb. Taofeek Arapaja; the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara; National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; and National Legal Adviser, Ajibade Kamaldeen Adeyemi, SAN, reads in full, “Following the expiration of the elected Ward, LGA, and State Executive Members in Rivers State, the National Working Committee (NWC), pursuant to the provisions of Section 29 (2) (b) of the Constitution of our Party, has, on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) approved the appointment of the expired Excos as Caretaker Committee Members.
“For the avoidance of doubt, attached to this letter is theauthentic list of the Caretaker Committee Members in Rivers State. These Caretaker Committees shall run the affairs of our Party at their appropriate levels for a period of three (3) months effective from the dates of their expiration, i.e. March 14, 18, 21, 2024 for Wards, LGA, and State, respectively.
“Please note that the NWC equally approved that anywhere vacancies have occurred due to death, removal, resignation, or defection, such vacancies shall not be filled.
“While thanking you for your continuous commitment, please accept the assurances of the NWC’s highest regards”.
Fubara emphasized that the party stands on the agreement reached on the issue as encapsulated in the letter by the NWC to the State Chairman of PDP dated March 27, adding that no amount of intimidation, clandestine moves, wasteful lobbying and needless expenditure of public funds will change the position already taken.
The governor stated that the list purported to be members of the Caretaker Committees of the party in the state was only the imagination of its purveyors, and advised those whose names were removed in the fake list and gullible members of the public to ignore it in its entirety.
He said that the party did not at any time remove or replace the names of officers whose tenures had been officially extended for three months, pending possible National Executive Committee ratification on April 18.
The governor insisted that what was published on Thursday and circulated on social media is not only fake, concocted and manipulated to suit the desperate ambitions of enemies of the State and its people, but a deliberate attempt to provoke members and cause discord in the party.
