The police have sealed the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), along Aba Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following attempts by a factional leadership loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to take control and assume leadership of the party in the state.
A Rivers State High Court on January 13, 2025, sacked the Chukwuemeka Aaron-led state executive committee of the PDP, alongside the ward and local government executive committees of the party.
The court presided over by Justice Stephen Jumbo, held that the congresses that produced Aaron were in contravention of a high court order directing that no congresses be held in the state until the substantive issues were resolved.
Following this, the original state executive committee of the party, whose tenure ended in June/July 2024, addressed a press conference on January 15, 2025, saying they had assumed leadership of the party in an acting capacity.
They also announced High Chief Robinson Ewor, as acting chairman and Dr. Field Nkor as acting secretary, alongside other members.
However, in another press briefing Thursday morning, the new Ewor backtracked, saying they were no longer taking over the party secretariat following the advice from the police, against the action snowballing into crisis.
“In a very recent development, security agencies, aware of our position to reclaim the party secretariat, have advised that we halt the process to maintain peace. They are currently at the party secretariat to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order.
“Gentlemen of the press, it is on this note, and in line with the peaceful disposition of the leader of the party in the state, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, to issues of this nature, which has earned him several accolades, that we have resolved to allow good reasoning to prevail and call off the planned take-over of the PDP state secretariat today.
“We also appeal to our teeming supporters and party faithful to remain calm, as we take necessary steps to assume control of our party’s secretariat,” Ewor said.
He said the new state leadership of the party will immediately commence steps toward healing and rebuilding the party with a view to making the PDP in Rivers State great again.
“To achieve this, we shall consult all critical stakeholders of the party, unite members, and work with them to restore the already lost hope. We shall embark on a sensitization tour across the 23 local government areas and initiate a membership drive to boost the party’s population for future elections.
“In the coming days, we shall also set up a disciplinary committee to address issues of anti-party activities, particularly during the 2023 general elections and beyond, and any other activities by members that could bring the party into disrepute.
“Those found wanting shall be appropriately disciplined, including but not limited to suspension, dismissal, and sanctions recognized by the party.
“The party is supreme and we shall uphold its supremacy. We shall implement the party manifesto and constitution. We shall work with the national leadership of our great party, including all its organs and other established organs of the party—at various levels, as well as all critical stakeholders of the party in the state and across the country.
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“By doing so, we can assure and reassure Nigerians that the PDP is a viable alternative to the APC, which in the last nine years, has made life extremely difficult for Nigerian citizens with rising insecurity, infrastructure deficit, unequal exchange rates, high petroleum products, and more,” he said.
The PDP state acting chairman called on the national leadership of the party to fully restore the leadership of the party in the state to Gov. Fubara, as is the convention in the party.
“We also call on the national leadership to work with the new leadership of the party at the state, local government area and ward levels.
“By doing this, they can be assured of the continued existence, survival, and growth of the party in the state. On our part, we shall uphold the party’s constitution, respect, and carry out all lawful directives from the national body and the leader of the party in the state.
“We wish to thank the good people of Rivers State for their support and goodwill in this collective victory while pledging our loyalty to the leader of our party, the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and the PDP,” Ewor stated.
