PDP Rift Deepens: NWC Sides with Fubara in Rivers Leadership Dispute
Some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have thrown their weight behind Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers State, declaring him the leader of the party in the state amid a growing power tussle with Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The declaration was made during a visit to Port Harcourt on Wednesday by a delegation led by Ahmed Mohammed, the PDP’s national treasurer, and Debo Ologunagba, the party’s spokesperson.
Speaking after the meeting, Mohammed emphasized the PDP’s strategy for reclaiming power at the national level in the 2027 elections. “From Rivers to the national level, we are working together, and the governor is the leader of the PDP in Rivers State as it is the policy of the PDP that every sitting governor is the leader of the party,” he stated.
“So, invariably, the governor of Rivers State is the leader of the PDP. We came to visit our leader and to assure him that we are 100 percent with him.
“The essence of the visit is to assure Nigerians that the PDP is coming together and trying to see that in May 2027, the PDP takes over governance in Nigeria.”
The visit underscores the widening divisions within the PDP. Mohammed and Ologunagba are aligned with one faction of the NWC, while others, including Umar Damagum, the acting national chairman, back a rival group.
The tensions are further heightened by a Rivers State high court ruling last week that nullified the PDP congresses held in August 2024 across 319 wards and 23 LGAs in Rivers. The congresses were reportedly supported by Wike, signaling a continued struggle for control of the party’s structure in the state.
In response to the court decision, Ologunagba issued a statement saying the PDP NWC had accepted the ruling. However, the statement was immediately countered by Ibrahim Abdullahi, the PDP deputy spokesperson, who accused Ologunagba of disseminating “calculated falsehood.”
“I was directed by the acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, to clarify that Ologunagba’s statement does not represent the official position of the PDP. He was not authorized to speak on the judgment,” Abdullahi said.
As the rift between Fubara and Wike deepens, the party faces a precarious challenge in reconciling its internal divisions, especially in a critical state like Rivers that has historically been a PDP stronghold.
The visit by Mohammed and Ologunagba appears to signal a move to consolidate support for Fubara, even as the court ruling and factional disputes cast doubt on the party’s unity and readiness for future elections.