PDP shifts NWC meeting over Wike, govs tension

The Peoples Democratic Party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, has decided to postpone the party’s National Working Committee meeting until next week due to escalating tensions between key party members. The dispute primarily involves former Rivers State governor and the PDP Governors Forum regarding the outcome of Rivers State party congresses.

A rift emerged between former Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP Governors Forum, with the governors supporting Siminalayi Fubara as the PDP leader in Rivers State. This stance led to a confrontation, with Wike warning of consequences if the governors interfered in Rivers State matters. The PDP Governors Forum, in response, criticized Wike’s threats as irresponsible and affirmed their support for Fubara.

The PDP governors are calling for the nullification of the ward and local government congresses in Rivers State that favored Wike, demanding fresh elections be held. The NWC meeting, initially slated for Wednesday to address the disagreements, was postponed by Damagum to avoid potential conflicts.

The postponement of the meeting was attributed to rising tensions and concerns about a possible clash during the meeting. The NWC members held discussions at the party headquarters in Abuja, focusing on issues in the Kaduna chapter.

The PDP acting National Chairman clarified that there was no scheduled meeting for Wednesday, emphasizing that the postponement was not solely due to the Wike-governors conflict. The party also alleged that the APC-led Federal Government was behind the internal conflicts within the party and other opposition parties.

In response, the APC criticized the PDP’s accusations, suggesting that the party should focus on its internal affairs rather than blaming external forces. The APC expressed readiness to provide guidance to the PDP leadership on managing party affairs if needed.