The ongoing leadership struggle within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has seen a significant shift as the National Working Committee (NWC) endorsed the Rivers State congresses led by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Wike’s loyalists secured this crucial approval from the PDP NWC, effectively consolidating his power within the party. The NWC, under the acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, also postponed the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, originally scheduled for September 26, to October 24. This postponement delays any potential challenge to the NWC’s decision regarding the Rivers State congresses.
The PDP NWC meeting at the party’s headquarters in Wadata Plaza, Abuja, was postponed for three weeks amid rising tensions between Wike and the PDP Governors Forum, which recently backed Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The governors’ support for Fubara intensified the conflict, prompting Wike to threaten upheaval in the governors’ states if they interfered in Rivers State’s affairs.
In response, the PDP Governors’ Forum condemned Wike’s threats, calling them irresponsible. The NWC’s approval of the Rivers State congresses further exacerbated the rift, with some NWC members opposed to the decision having limited recourse.
An anonymous NWC member revealed, “Wike has once again outmaneuvered the PDP governors. The NWC’s approval of the Rivers and other state congresses stands unless overturned by the NEC. However, with the NEC meeting postponed, it’s uncertain if the NEC will convene on the new date.”
The NWC’s decision also involved stepping down congress approvals in states with identified issues, such as Kogi, due to anomalies. For now, Wike’s influence within the PDP appears solidified, overshadowing the governors’ forum led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.
News Editor