- PDP’s NWC members are divided over supporting Governor Fubara or Minister Wike, deepening the party’s crisis in Rivers State
- Deputy spokesman Ibrahim Abdullahi denied NWC recognition of the Ewor-led exco, citing lack of formal decision or served judgment
The National Working Committee (NWC) members’ disagreements over whether to support State Governor Siminalayi Fubara or Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike have given the crisis engulfing the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a new dimension.
Since they started fighting months ago, the two political leaders have been at odds over who controls the party.
Speaking during a news conference held at the PDP headquarters in Abuja on Friday, Ibrahim Abdullahi, the party’s deputy national publicity secretary, claimed that Debo Ologunagba, the party spokesperson, lacked the authority to comment on behalf of the PDP regarding the Rivers crisis.
Ibrahim said that he was instructed to deny the news release from Ologunagba stating that “NWC sat and approved the verdict, recognising the Ewo-led exco in Rivers State” by Amb. Umar Damagun, the interim National Chairman.
“For the avoidance of doubt, not even the said judgement has been served on the party. The NWC has neither received nor sat to take any decision on the said judgement.”
“The NWC hereby distances itself from the calculated falsehood aimed at achieving a predetermined objective.
“Members of the public, especially the PDP family, are hereby enjoined to disregard and discard the publication, which is merely the figment of the NPS’s imagination,” he added.
Ologunagba had earlier issued a statement affirming the Ewor-led executive as the authentic state executive and asked them to work with Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Speaking on the national secretaryship of the party, the deputy spokesman said Senator Samuel Anyanwu remained the substantive national secretary “until that suit, the appeal before the Supreme Court, is determined. That’s the position of the law. That is what the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides.
“Where there is an appeal, it is only behooves on the appellant to wait until the determination of the appeal. That is the position of law.”
Also answering the question on why he addressed journalists instead of Ologunagba, he said, “I was also elected in the same convention. By virtue of our duties, I enjoy the same powers to speak for this party.”
“In the manner that my colleague (Debo Ologunagba) has demonstrated lately, it’s becoming very glaring and clear that the party is having discomfort with some of his disposition lately. He seems to have been speaking from both sides of his mouth.
Only yesterday (Thursday), I issued, on the directive of the national chairman, a disclaimer on the position of the party where he spoke and issued a statement that the party, the NWC, sat and accepted the judgment in River State, recognising the Ewor-led EXCO.
“The NWC has not sat since September last year. So I wonder where he will now say the NWC sat and adopted and accepted the verdict recognising the Ewor-led state EXCO in River State.
“A national publicity secretary does not enjoy such powers. He cannot speak for the NWC without clearance with the NWC. That is not the position of law. That is not expected of him as a lawyer. So, we have now come to a level where the sentiment that he has allowed to becloud his reasoning is beginning to take a toll on his job.”
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