The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially affirmed Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the leader of the party in Rivers State, dealing a significant blow to the faction led by his estranged predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
The announcement followed a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday night between Fubara and senior NWC members.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, PDP National Treasurer Ahmed Mohammed commended Fubara for his efforts in stabilising the party amidst a prolonged internal conflict. “We came to appreciate the doggedness of the governor in ensuring that the PDP is becoming more stabilised and focused in Rivers State,” Mohammed said.
The move is a decisive setback for Wike, who has been locked in a bitter political rivalry with Fubara since October 2023, fracturing the party’s ranks in Rivers. A recent court ruling further tipped the balance in Fubara’s favour, nullifying the congresses conducted by Wike’s camp and reinstating Fubara’s leadership of the party.
The NWC’s visit to Rivers was part of a series of consultative meetings with PDP governors aimed at strengthening the party ahead of future elections. Similar visits have been made to Governors Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, and Douye Diri of Bayelsa.
Mohammed also highlighted the significance of a recent Rivers High Court judgment that annulled controversial ward, local government, and state congresses conducted last year under Wike’s influence, solidifying Fubara’s control of the party machinery in the state.
The NWC delegation used the occasion to provide updates on other internal matters, including the reinstatement of Sir Ude Okoye as the PDP’s National Secretary following a Court of Appeal ruling. Mohammed assured party members of the NWC’s unified backing of Okoye, asserting that no legal challenge had overturned the court’s decision.
“We will continue to work with him and also request the support and backing of the governors,” Mohammed said. “This case does not have any stay of execution or similar orders, so members of the NWC are in agreement to work alongside the current National Secretary of the party to ensure that the PDP becomes more transformed and prepared across the board.”
Looking ahead, Mohammed expressed confidence in the party’s resurgence, declaring, “Come May 2027, PDP will bounce back.”
With the NWC’s affirmation of Fubara’s leadership and growing internal consolidation, the PDP appears poised to navigate its way out of the turmoil in Rivers State, setting its sights on broader national objectives.
