In a recent development in the leadership crisis within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has reinforced his position following the endorsement of the Rivers State congresses by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
This endorsement, secured by Wike’s loyalists within the NWC, has also led to the postponement of the crucial National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which was originally scheduled for September 26 but has now been rescheduled to October 24.
The decision, made by the NWC led by acting National Chairman Umar Damagum during a meeting at the party’s national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja on Thursday, is seen as a significant victory for Wike amid escalating tensions within the party.
The NWC’s approval of the Rivers State congresses follows a period of intense internal conflict, particularly between Wike and the PDP Governors Forum, which has supported the current Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The discord heightened on August 24 when PDP governors publicly endorsed Fubara, asserting his leadership role in the state and calling for a review of the Rivers State congresses. This move antagonized Wike, who, on August 31, threatened repercussions in the states governed by PDP members if they continued to interfere in Rivers State affairs. In response, the PDP Governors’ Forum condemned Wike’s threats on September 3 as irresponsible.
The NWC’s approval of the Rivers State congresses, along with those in other states, has effectively sidelined the governors’ opposition. While the NEC could potentially overturn the NWC’s decisions, the rescheduling of the NEC meeting to October 24 originally set for August before being moved to September 26 due to some members’ travel for pilgrimage may delay any potential reversal.
The NWC’s decision also included the approval of congresses in other states, though some states, such as Kogi, had their approvals deferred due to identified anomalies. The postponed NEC meeting remains the last avenue for the PDP Governors Forum to challenge the NWC’s decisions, but with the new date looming, it is uncertain whether the meeting will resolve the ongoing conflict.
Wike’s maneuvering has once again outmaneuvered the PDP Governors Forum, which had been led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed. The current political landscape suggests that Wike has secured a decisive edge in the ongoing internal power struggle within the PDP.
