By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has shunned the party’s ongoing elective national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by several state executive members and local government chairpersons of the party in Rivers State, including Kingsley Waite, Tombari Sydney Gbara, Victor Pepple, Otamiri John Ngubo and Ejekwu Princewill.
The Rivers PDP leaders said the party was embroiled in a leadership dispute at the national level that had polarised state chapters across the country.
They added that a series of lawsuits and counter-litigation had worsened the situation and created further uncertainty within the party.
The party members further noted that there was no proper communication channel between the national leadership of the party and the Rivers State Governor, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, which consequently left the party members incommunicado with regard to the national convention.
The statement read: “That as a result of the leadership crisis in the party at the national level, which has polarised the party in so many state chapters.
“That, in view of the various litigations and counter-litigations that have further deepened the crisis in the party.
“That there was no proper communication channel between the national leadership of the party and our leader, Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers State, which has consequently left us incommunicado.
“We were neither consulted nor was approval sought and obtained before our names and photographs appeared in the brochure of the proposed Ibadan national convention of the party.
“In view of the above, we therefore unanimously resolved not to participate in the forthcoming national convention scheduled to hold on the 15th to 16th of November 2025 at Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.”
Recall that there have been conflicting court orders on the national convention and directives from the two factions of the party.
While the acting National Chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum, faction said the convention would go on as scheduled, the Nyesom Wike/Samuel Ayanwu faction announced its cancellation.
The Damagum faction said the convention would go on as scheduled following the Ibadan High Court’s extension of the ex parte order allowing the convention to go on, which was reiterated on Friday following a ruling by the presiding justice, Ladiran Akintola.
The Wike/Ayanwu faction had warned delegates not to attend the convention because they would be contravening the July 31 judgment by a Federal High Court presided over by Justice James Omotosho, which voided the convention.
Also, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ordered the PDP to suspend its elective national convention on Friday, November 14, regarding the suit filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, who is contending that he was being excluded from contesting as national chairman of the party with the denial of forms.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising, monitoring, or recognising any convention conducted by the PDP without including Lamido as a contestant.
However, despite conflicting court judgements, the convention is currently underway at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan.
