Rivers PDP dismisses Wike’s claim of party collapse, insists structures intact

The caretaker chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Nname Ewor, has firmly dismissed recent claims by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, that the PDP no longer exists in the state, insisting that the party remains solidly rooted and politically relevant.

Ewor made the clarification during an interview with journalists in Port Harcourt, where he described Wike’s comments as misleading and lacking factual basis.

He alleged that the FCT minister had, during a town hall engagement on Sunday, asserted that both the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) had collapsed in Rivers State, a statement that sparked widespread political reactions across the state.

Reacting, Ewor acknowledged that the PDP had suffered internal setbacks in recent times but maintained that the party was already healing and repositioning to reclaim its mandate of serving the people.

“There is APC and there is PDP in Rivers State,” Ewor stated. “The APC in Rivers State is led by the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, while the PDP in Rivers State is led by my humble self. So, for anyone to say there is no PDP here is completely untrue.”

Ewor further questioned the authority of the FCT minister to make such pronouncements, noting that Wike currently does not belong to any recognised political party in the country.

“I listened to the FCT minister during his town hall meeting where he said there is no PDP and no APC in Rivers State. That statement raises questions because, as far as we know, he is not a member of any political party,” he said.

Addressing Wike’s remarks on agreements and loyalty, the PDP chairman stressed that the only binding agreement in Rivers State is the social contract between the people and the elected governor.

“To the best of my knowledge, the people of Rivers State entered into a social contract with Governor Fubara in 2023 and gave him a four-year mandate. 

It is for the people to decide in 2027 whether to renew that mandate. Any other agreement between individuals is purely personal and has nothing to do with the people of Rivers State,” Ewor added.

On the recent wave of defections from the PDP to the APC, including the defection of two serving senators, Ewor described the moves as driven by personal interests rather than public good. He insisted that the defections have neither weakened the PDP nor translated into tangible benefits for the people of the state.

“Defection is a personal thing, done for personal gain,” he said. “It does not bring any overall benefit to the people of Rivers State. Those who defected did so to align with power, not to advance development. Their exit will not damage the PDP in any way.”

Ewor reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to people-oriented governance, noting that the party would continue to prioritise development-focused policies over what he described as the “political weight” of individual politicians.

Meanwhile, the Acting Secretary of the PDP in Rivers State, Chief Ogbam Ojima, cautioned the FCT minister against statements capable of fuelling ethnic or tribal tensions in the state in the pursuit of political dominance.

Ojima, who hails from the Ikwerre ethnic group, rejected claims of ethnic supremacy, stressing that no tribe in Rivers State is superior to another.

“Rivers State belongs to all its people,” he said. “Ikwerre, Kalabari, Ogoni, Etche, Ogba and others are all important. Tribal sentiments should never override the core responsibility of a politician, which is representation and delivery of the people’s mandate.” He warned that divisive rhetoric could undermine the peace and unity of the state, urging political leaders to focus on inclusive governance and respect for democratic ideals.
The PDP leadership concluded by reaffirming its resolve to rebuild, reconcile internal differences, and return stronger to defend the interests of Rivers people ahead of future political contests.