The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State intensified after a court ruling led to the rise of a faction supporting Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The ruling invalidated congresses that had produced executive committee members loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike.
On January 13, the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Stephen Jumbo, issued a restraining order preventing the ward, local government, and state executive committees, led by Chairman Aaron Chukwuemeka, from functioning as the party’s officials.
The ruling followed an injunction filed by Port Harcourt-based lawyers Edwin Woko, Love Otuonye, and two others.
In response, Robinson Ewor, PDP Chairman for the Rivers West Senatorial District, declared himself the acting chairman of the party in the state.
Ewor introduced Dr. Feild Nkor as acting secretary and other members of the new caretaker committee, including Uranta Humphrey, Sydney Gbara, Victor Pepple, and Emile Solomon.
Ewor, supported by former members of dissolved caretaker committees, stated that the court ruling had restored the party’s leadership to its rightful members. He pledged to uphold the judgment and dismissed the leadership of Aaron Chukwuemeka, Martin Amaewhule, and others as illegitimate.
Ewor accused Wike and his allies of manipulating a directive from the PDP National Secretariat to extend the tenure of previous executives, leading to the controversial congresses.
He said, “The court barred Aaron Chukwuemeka and others from acting as PDP executives in the state.”
Ewor emphasized that the judgment restored the party to its original leadership, led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara. He called on the national leadership to recognize Fubara as the party leader and implement the ruling.
Meanwhile, the Wike-backed executive reaffirmed the legitimacy of Chukwuemeka’s leadership.
State publicity secretary Dr. Kenneth Yowika referenced a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that authorized the PDP to hold congresses in the state. He stated that the party would appeal Justice Jumbo’s ruling, saying, “The judgment is being studied, and we will immediately appeal it.”
