By Abiola Olawale
The crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has continued to escalate as the caretaker chairman of Obio-Akpor local government area of Rivers state, Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo, has called for the immediate suspension of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Ihunwo, the Caretaker Chairman of the Obio-Akpor local government, where Wike hails from, accused the Minister of alleged anti-party activities.
The Caretaker Chairman claimed that Wike, a two-term Governor of Rivers State has been allegedly working against the PDP since 2023.
Ihunwo, while speaking to journalists in his office, said the Caretaker Committee has recommended the suspension of Wike to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP.
He said: “When the BoT came to our state to see the governor, I was expecting them to take a stand in what was happening in the party. No one is bigger than the party. What Wike is doing is not in the interest of Nigerians but in his interest.
“He did this same thing to gain as a minister. He also wants to do it to gain in the 2027 presidential election. So, I want to appeal to the party to suspend him immediately because he is on a mission to destroy the party.
“I want to describe that incident as a jamboree that cannot stand because the leader of the party in the state, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, was not part of that process, and there is a court order restraining the party from moving ahead with that congress.
“In the eyes of the law, there was no congress held in Rivers state. I want to advise our people, especially the supporters of the governor, to remain calm; we will follow them according to the law based on the court order.
“The man who wants to live up and down only came to test if he is on the ground, and it is obvious he has lost touch with the people. The congress was held in a small hall, as against the usual Obi Wali Conference Centre or any other place.”
This comes after Wike issued a stern warning to the governors elected on the platform of the PDP against interfering in the politics of Rivers State.
The former governor of Rivers State vowed not to allow anyone to take over the PDP structure in Rivers State.
He also threatened to cause a political crisis in the states of any PDP governor who tried to interfere in the party’s affairs in the South-South state.
It would be recalled that Rivers State has been in the news for the past year over the cold war between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Wike.
Also, Wike had been at loggerheads with some stakeholders in the PDP following his defeat at the party’s presidential primary election.
