The Special Assistant to Rivers Governor on Electronic Media, Jerry Omatsogunwa, has urged the Peoples Democratic Party National Working Committee to recognize Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the party’s leader in the state.
This comes amid a leadership dispute between Fubara and former Governor Nyesom Wike.
Omatsogunwa argued that the incumbent governor is typically the party’s leader in the state, citing precedents set by former Governors Peter Odili, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and Nyesom Wike, according to Politics Nigeria.
He warned that if the issue is not resolved, Fubara might defect from the party, potentially leading to PDP’s loss of Rivers State to the opposition.
Omatsogunwa also referenced a court order halting ward and local government congresses, which he claimed the party ignored.
He cautioned that disobeying court orders could have severe consequences, citing the All Progressives Congress’s experience in 2019.
The aide emphasized the need for the NWC to correct the anomaly and hand over the party’s structure to Fubara to avoid further crisis and potential loss of the state.
“They (NWC) should do the right thing. The right thing is that the governor is the leader of the party in the state and his (Fubara’s) own case should not be different.
“When Dr Peter Odili was the Governor of Rivers State, he was the political leader of the state and also the leader of the party, that is the PDP.
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi took over and also became the leader of the party and the political leader of the state. Nyesom Wike became the political leader of the state and also the leader of the party.
“So, the anomalies in the whole system are what the Governors’ forum intends to correct tomorrow (today). And they can work with the National Working Committee to make sure that these anomalies don’t go far.
“If they allow it (anomalies) to fly. I just pity the PDP because the governor, since they have toed the line with our governor, Siminalayi Fubara, may also decide to rock the boat.
“They can decide to say okay sink or float with this man. Another issue is that there was a court order, ordering these people not to carry out the ward and local government congresses, which they said they have done,” he said.
Omatsogunwa warned that the PDP might lose Rivers State to the opposition party if the crisis was not well handled.
“Remember the All Progressives Congress had the same issue when the court gave them an order in 2019 not to go ahead with congresses, but they went ahead and you know the result where there was no candidate for disobedience of court order.
“The Supreme Court specifically said that you cannot benefit from your stupidity. I hope the PDP will not wallow in stupidity and so that we will not regret the stupidity in the end since the court has given that order.\
“So I hope that the right thing will be done, the governor given the structure and the leadership of the party so that he can move and do well,” he added.
