The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has postponed the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) meeting to next week, citing escalating tensions between former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, and the PDP Governors Forum. The dispute centers on the control of Rivers State party structures.
This postponement follows a deepening political rift between Wike and Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The PDP governors have aligned themselves with Fubara, asserting that the governor should be recognized as the leader of the PDP in Rivers State, a stance that has angered Wike. In response, Wike issued a fiery warning to the governors, threatening to “ignite” conflicts in their states if they continued to meddle in Rivers affairs.
The PDP Governors Forum condemned Wike’s threats, labeling them as irresponsible. The governors maintained that their stance was consistent with past practices, noting that Wike himself had enjoyed similar privileges during his tenure as governor.
The ongoing dispute led the governors to demand the annulment of recent ward and local government congresses in Rivers State, which handed control of the party structure to Wike. They are pushing for fresh congresses to be conducted under Fubara’s leadership.
The NWC meeting, initially scheduled for Wednesday, was seen as a potential platform to address these growing disagreements. However, it was postponed amid concerns that the meeting could lead to further confrontation.
Our correspondent reported that despite a court injunction halting the PDP’s congresses in Rivers State, the Damagum-led NWC proceeded with the congresses, favoring Wike’s control of the party structure.
On August 24, the PDP Governors Forum publicly supported Fubara, urging the NWC to recognize him as the rightful leader of the party in Rivers State.
In response to the escalating tensions, the PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, postponed the NWC meeting, citing concerns over potential clashes. He stated that the meeting would now be held next week to avoid immediate confrontation.
Sources within the party, however, suggest that the postponement was a strategic move by Wike’s loyalists within the NWC, who are attempting to buy time to solidify their plans. Some NWC members, who requested anonymity, expressed frustration over the delay, accusing Wike’s faction of stalling the decision-making process.
When contacted, Damagum denied that a meeting had been scheduled for Wednesday, deflecting inquiries by suggesting that the secretary should be asked if any meeting had been planned.
Meanwhile, the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, dismissed claims that the NWC meeting was postponed solely due to the Wike-governors conflict. He asserted that the agenda for the meeting had been rearranged and that the postponement was not exclusively tied to the ongoing dispute.
In a related development, the PDP has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of meddling in its internal affairs and those of other opposition parties. PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi, alleged that the APC is attempting to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
In response, APC Publicity Director Bala Ibrahim criticized the PDP, arguing that the party’s inability to manage its internal conflicts is a sign of weakness. Ibrahim offered sarcastic “assistance” to the PDP in managing its affairs, but added that such help would come at a cost. He reiterated that the APC remains focused on national development rather than engaging in the internal issues of a “sinking ship” like the PDP.
