Politics
Wike vows to criticise PDP NWC amid deepening plot to replace Secondus
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has explained his recent comment against perceived abnormalities of the Uche Secondus led National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying that his criticism should not be misconstrued to mean the presence of irredeemable crisis in the party.
The governor has also stated that since he lacked the capacity to decamp to another political party, particularly, the All Progressives Congress, he would continue to speak out against perceived abnormalities in the PDP to ensure that it does not die.
Governor Wike spoke on Sunday while playing host to friends and political associates who paid him a surprise visit, to felicitate with him and his wife, Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike on his birthday at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The Governor had raised much anxiety within the PDP following his strong comment, especially given his role in the emergence and election of Prince Secondus as national chairman.
Governor Wike, explained that as a founding member of the PDP, he would continue to speak against whatever is militating against the progress of the party, irrespective of who is in charge of the NWC.
Meanwhile, a high level scheming towards the replacement of the PDP National Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus has taken a momentous level with Governors elected on the platform of the party spearheading the move.
Secondus, who was elected in December 2017 and still has a year to complete his current term “may not secure reelection for a fresh term even if he barely manages to survive till December 2021,” a source close to the party revealed
It was gathered that since the exit of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in June, this year, the Source also revealed that since the removal of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in June this year, some stakeholders in the PDP have been making silent moves for the replacement of Uche Secondus so that the party can also begin on a fresh slate.
It was also gathered that while Secondus got a respite from the party’s handling of the political crisis in Edo in which it accommodated Governor Godwin Obaseki who eventually won the state for the PDP, the recent loss of Ebonyi State to the APC has put the PDP chairman on the spotlight again as demands for his removal heightened.
A source also hinted that the situation has become more complicated for Secondus owing to the antagonistic position of Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, who played a crucial role in his emergence as the PDP chairman in 2017.
According to him, Wike’s no love lost relationship with Secondus started in October 2018 after Atiku Abubakar defeated Wike’s candidate, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State to emerge as the presidential candidate of the PDP.
After referring to the Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC) as tax collectors in June, Wike at the weekend also accused them of sowing seed of discord among PDP governors and jeopardising the party’s prospect to clinch the presidency in 2023.
A visibly angry Wike said it was regrettable that instead of capitalising on the inefficiency and maladministration that has characterised APC five years in power, PDP’s NWC is deepening cracks in the party.
He explained that rather than focus on strategies on how to take advantage of the growing disenchantment with the APC government, the NWC is sowing a seed of discord among governors using two former governors of Imo and Cross River states and a present senator from Benue State. The governor accused the current leadership of NWC of merely being interested in retaining the current structure of the party to remain in power, and not to win the 2023 election.
“PDP ought to have harvested from the inefficiency of the APC; from the maladministration of the APC. Ordinarily, that is what opposition party ought to do. If you ask me, are Nigerians waiting for a change? Yes. If you ask me as a member of PDP, Am I ready to support PDP to takeover, yes. But, if you ask me currently as it is, is the leadership of the party willing for us to harvest this opportunity for a change, I will say no.
“An opposition party that ought to be united, to work, to take over the affairs of government, because people are waiting for this opportunity, but the current leadership of NWC is not prepared for that, rather, what they have done is to constitute some people to sow a seed of discord among governors for their own selfish interest. And that will boomerang; that will consume them”, Wike had said.
Our source, who was a member of the party’s Board of Trustees, said even though Wike was not specific, his outburst was directed primarily at Secondus. He added that given the influence Wike wields in the PDP, especially among the party’s governors, Secondus days in office are numbered.
He also added that aside the belief by many members that Secondus lacked the capacity to carry the party beyond its present level, others believe that the party under his leadership has failed to live up to its expectations as Nigeria’s major opposition party which is expected to put President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC on their toes.
“Honestly, Secondus days as the PDP national chairman are numbered. The reality is that even if he manages to complete his current term, his chances of getting reelected are so remote. The NWC-led by him no longer enjoys the support of majority of party members and the recent loss of Ebonyi has further worsened the situation.
“If you look at the outburst of Governor Wike who helped Secondus to power and the statement made by Bukola Saraki, former Senate President, threatening to resign as chairman of the party’s reconciliation committee if Secondus continues to interfere in the process, then you should know that Secondus no longer enjoys the popularity of party members who produced him in 2017.
“Across board, there is a silent grumbling in the party that the leadership must be reconstituted if the party is serious about returning to power in 2023”, he said.
When contacted, a member of the party’s NWC said rumours that PDP governors are disenchanted with Secondus and wanted him out is untrue.
“The report is not true. If it is correct, I will tell you so. How many governors do we have in the North? North- West is two; North-East is three and North-Central is one. Who is opposed to Secondus among these governors? None, I can say.
“On those blaming Secondus for defection, how many governors defected? What was the reason for the defection? Governor Umahi left PDP and blamed Governor Wike for his decision. He never accused the NWC of anything”, he said.
Also speaking, Kola Ologbondiyan, national publicity secretary of PDP, said APC which is now a dead political party having dissolved all its structures is looking for ways to destabilise the PDP at all cost.
“The APC is not serious. The truth is, their party is in disarray and they want to break PDP so that they can form a new party. They will not succeed”.
The immediate past deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers State, Dr Emana Ambrose Amawhe has resigned her membership of the party with immediate effect.
In a letter dated 28th March, 2025 addressed to the Chairman of Edem Odo Ward in Akpabuyo Local Government Council of Cross River State, she said, her resignation was with immediate effect.
She pointed out in the letter that her resignation should not be taken lightly, while she reaffirmed her commitment to and readiness to serve the government of Cross River and Nigeria in general in any capacities.
She said, “I am writing to formally resign my membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect.
”I sincerely appreciate the opportunity given to me over time to contribute my quota to the growth of the party and the chance to serve as the Deputy Governorship Candidate in the last general elections.
”It was a privilege to be part of the PDP’s vision and engage with our people in meaningful ways. However, after much reflection in light of the current state of affairs within the party, I believe it is time for me to move on.
“This decision was not made lightly, but I remain committed to serving my community and contributing to the progress of our state and nation in other capacities.”
Ambrose-Amawhe was the running mate to Senator Sandy Onor in the 2023 governorship election in Cross River.
She had also contested for the House of Representatives seat for the Bakassi/Akpabuyo/Calabar South Federal Constituency under the PDP.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State Chapter, Chief Tony Okocha, has defended the emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu in the state, citing escalating security threats.
According to Chief Okocha, Rivers State was on the brink of anarchy due to increasing security concerns in various parts of the state.
Okocha made this statement while addressing journalists at the APC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
Justifying the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the declaration of a state of emergency, Okocha commended the President for his “timely” intervention and criticized those opposing the decision.
“The state of emergency called by Mr. President saved Rivers State from anarchy. When you see non-state actors brandishing guns and making statements that promote lawlessness, then you should know there is a problem.
“I see some people jumping onto television platforms to cast aspersions on Mr. President and condemn what they do not understand. Mr. President knows more than they do.
“The truth of the matter is that Rivers State was headed towards anarchy. We all know Rivers is one of the states that sustain this country. Some of the same people criticizing the President now would have also condemned him if he had done nothing.”
Chief Okocha also questioned the silence of former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) when the Rivers State House of Assembly complex was demolished under Governor Fubara’s administration.
“Thank God, President Goodluck Jonathan has been president, General Obasanjo has been president, and they know that every day on their table, they receive security reports.
“I hear the NBA saying the suspension is an affront to democracy. But when the assembly complex was burned and the next day, eleven pieces of equipment were deployed to demolish it, the NBA was silent. They were alive, yet we didn’t hear anything from them”, he said.
Reacting to criticism over why the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, was not sanctioned despite allegations that he contributed to the unrest, Okocha argued that Wike was not involved in the crisis.
He said, “For those asking why the Governor and members of the State House of Assembly were suspended but not the Minister of the FCT—was he in the frame? The answer is no”
Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the 2023 general election, Adewole Adebayo said, God has told him that the party will produce the next president in 2027 general election.
Speaking over the weekend in Abeokua when he met the members and executive who were led by the State Chairman, Yinka Ola-Williams, said he could confirm that a President of SDP will mount Aso Rock villa in 2027.
“One thing that God is telling me is that there will be an SDP president in the villa in 2027.
“For the first time in a long time, we will have people who care for the people. Let’s remain focused. The problems of Nigeria are our problems, not individuals.
“We are not against Tinubu as a person but we are against hunger, inflation, poverty, insecurity, unemployment. That’s what we are against,” he said.
Buttressing Adebayo’s position on modalities of joining the party, the SDP Chairman in Ogun State, Mr. Yinka Ola-Williams, disowned 30,000 membership cards and registers allegedly being flaunted by one of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants in the 2023 governorship election in the State.
Ola-Williams said the party’s door is widely opened to anybody who wants to join, but such a person or group, no matter how highly placed, must follow the procedure as laid down in the party’s constitution.
He emphatically stated that the party had nothing to do with the membership cards and registers claimed by the aspirant, who said he got them from the party’s National Secretariat.
“We want people to join us, and we want to work together to provide a better government than what we have now that will remove poverty, provide a better healthcare system for people, improve education and all.
“But not that they come to the party, hijack the party and take the structure away. That’s what we will not agree,” Ola-Williams said.
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