The battle for the control of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has abruptly brought political activities in the state heightened, as the 2 top politicians in the state, Governor Siminialayi Fubara and his predecessor in office, Barrister Nyesom Wike are doing everything possible to outwit each other for political supremacy at the grassroot with the upcoming Wards, LGAs and state executives and ad hoc delegates’ congresses come July, 2024. This got worse when the Headquarters of PDP in Wadata Plaza Abuja, the official operational; base of PDP released names of Caretaker Committee members for 3-months and new names in Rivers State list got national attention which necessitated the recently held National Executive Council meeting to instruct that it should be revisited.

The early hours of Wednesday 24th of April, 2024, witnessed the rejection of redeployment and resignation of Professor Zacchaeus Adangor the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice who had spent 5 years in office and was redeployed to the Ministry of Special Duties in the Governor’s Office in a memo released by the Secretary-To the State Government Dr. Tammy Danagogo who directed two serving Commissioners Mr. Isaac Kamalu Commissioner for Finance and Professor Zacchaeus Adangor, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to resume duties in their new offices. This instruction and redeployment to Professor Adangor was seen as an affront and he subsequently, put in his resignation letter.

In the resignation letter addressed to the SSG Prof. Adangor bemoaned how his tenure in the last few months had suffered with the Governor refusing to assign cases of Rivers State to him.

He accused the governor of not relating with him in manners befitting his office hence he offered to resign from office which he had occupied for the past 5 years. The Andonni Local Government Area born Professor of Law and former law lecturer hails from an area with top Rivers State politicians such as former National Chairman of PDP Prince Uche Secondus, Former Deputy Governor Engr. Tele Ikuru, former State Chairman of All Progressives Congress APC, Davies Ibamu Ikyanya, former Speaker Rivers State House of Assembly and former Commissioners in Rivers state whose political influence and control propelled the emergence of Professor Zaccheus Adangor as one of the powerful Commissioners erstwhile Governor Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike used to launch himself to power in 2015 and in 2019 second term.

Now, the political structure of PDP in Rivers State is tilted towards the control of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory FCT Abuja, Nyesom Wike whose loyalists are spread across the 319 electoral wards and 23 Local Government Areas of the state. For instance, the 23 LGAs elected Chairmen and Councillors are 80 percent loyal to Wike. And of the 13 members of the Federal House of Representatives about 10 are loyal to Wike and the 3 Senators are 100 percent loyal to Wike including former Deputy Governor Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo representing Rivers West, Chief Allwell H. Onyesoh, representing Rivers East and Chief Barry Mpigi representing Rivers South East senatorial district. All have their political apron tied to the Minister of FCT Abuja and are not willing to sabotage his political interest come 2027 as all will be interested to return in the re-election process come 2027. Therefore, they are coming back to work for Wike in the July, 2024 Wards, LGas and State Congresses with Ad Hoc Delegates. From published statement by the National organizing secretary of PDP Honourable Umar M. Bature submissions of Forms for applications for participation in the    wards, LGAs and States’ Congresses held on 21st of June, 2024 in 21 states including Edo, Akwa Ibom,Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Rivers, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Jigawa, FCT Abuja, Niger, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Enugu, Imo, Abia, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Ebonyi States. The Wards Electoral Committee, LGas’ Party Executive Officials Electoral Committee had been slated to sit immediately: The ward congresses and 3-member Ad Hoc delegates elections will be held on Saturday 29th of June, 2024 while the Appeal Committee will sit on Tuesday 2nd July, 2024.

The Local Government Area Congresses will be held on Saturday 6th of July, 2024 while the Appeal Committee will sit on Tuesday 9th of July 2024. The States Congresses and Ad Hoc delegates elections will be held on Saturday 13th July, 2024. While the Appeal committee will sit on 17th July, 2024 on any dispute coming from the state congresses in the following states Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, FCT Abuja, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Gombe, Enugu, Imo, Abia, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Ebonyi and Edo.

The meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC), has been slated for Wednesday, 24th July, 2024 while the National Executive Council (NEC), will hold on Thursday, August 18th 2024 to ratify all the elected party executives in all the affected states, wards and Local Government Areas.

The Rivers State PDP is believed to be in the hands of FCT Minister whose stooges and political cronies are strategically positioned.

The 319 Wards have at least over 300 Councillors loyal to Wike and out of the 23 LGC Chairmen over 19 are loyal to Wike. It is going to be a herculean task for the incumbent Governor Sir Siminialayi Joseph Fubara to upturn this political structure that favours his political oponent, Nyesom Wike.

But Rivers State Gov. Fubara is not resting on his oars as he has organic followership in the Rivers State masses who see him as being suppressed by his political godfather Wike. Being the son of a Soldier, he remains disciplined and quiet in his political moves as he shuns press attention a lot. Gov. Fubara is Press shy which his political opponents such as All Progressives Congress in the State lead by Acting Chairman Tony Okocha who doubles as Rivers State representative on the Management Board of Niger Delta Development Commission-NDDC is taking advantage of.

Now that Gov. Fubara has allegedly severed political relations with his godfather by manoeuvring on the 8-Points Presidential Declaration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He fired two Commissioners on Tuesday 23rd of April, 2024 and reneged on representing the 2024 State Budget while the Local Government Council Elections in Rivers State has remained controversial. With the National Assembly final Act of parliament which mandates Independent National Electoral Commission-INEC to take control of conducting election into the 3rd tier of government at the Local Government Area which will be autonomous both in financial and political administration, this has led to Rivers State House of Assembly vetoing several Laws of Local government Administration in Rivers State. Will the old political war horses such as Celestine Omehia, former Deputy Speaker Austin Opara, Prince Uche secondus and Mrs. Toru Ofili deliver Gov. Siminialayi Fubara in the coming wards, LGAs and States Congresses in Rivers State especially, now that the trio of Uche Secondus, Austin Opara and Celestine Omehia are battling the Courts for inclusion in the decision making arms of PDP in the national arena?

-Emeka Amaefula