The crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party took a new twist on Thursday when the police took over the party’s secretariat on Aba Road in Port Harcourt.

The police action followed alleged moves by both the Aaron Chukwuemeka-led executive loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Robinson Ewor-led executive loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to resume at the party secretariat.

On Monday, January 13, 2024, the state High Court presided over by Justice Stephen Jumbo, in a ruling on interlocutory injunction sought by Edwin Woko and three others, restrained Chukwuemeka and others from parading themselves as executive members of the PDP in the state.

Woko and three others, all PDP members, challenged the congresses that produced Chukwuemeka’s executive committee, arguing that the congresses conducted between July and August 2024 violated an existing court order, rendering it illegal.

A state High Court presided over by Justice Charles Wali, on July 20, 2024, stopped the PDP from going ahead with the congresses, but in defiance, the Wike-led faction of the party held the congresses on July 27, August 10, and August 31, without Fubara’s faction participation.

There have been crises in the state since October 2023 after a move by the lawmakers loyal to Wike to impeach Fubara failed.

Following the court ruling, the Ewor-led caretaker executive committee loyal to Fubara was announced and was set to assume office on Thursday.

Our correspondent who visited the party secretariat reported that while a team of heavily armed anti-riot police stationed at the PDP office with several police vans, Chukwuemeka managed to enter the secretariat, claiming he remained the party’s authentic chairman in the state.

The security operatives blocked both ends of the road leading to the secretariat, leading to a temporary traffic snarl when the correspondent visited.

Briefing newsmen, Ewor, who announced his faction would take over the party secretariat on Thursday, said he would not force himself into the party secretariat, adding that he was interested in a peaceful atmosphere in the state.

He said the security agencies advised the party to shelve its plans to take over the secretariat, as they were already on the ground to prevent any potential violence.

He called on the national leadership to recognise Fubara as the party’s leader in the state and to work with the new leadership at the state, local government, and ward levels.

He, however, vowed to suspend members found wanting for anti-party activities during the 2023 elections.

Ewor was making a veiled reference to Wike, who supported President Bola Tinubu, then-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, against his party’s presidential standard-bearer and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

He appealed to party supporters and faithful to remain calm, assuring them that the party was taking necessary steps to take possession of the secretariat.

“We shall, also in the next few days, set up a disciplinary committee to deal with issues of anti-party activities, especially during the 2023 general election and beyond and every other activity by party members which are capable of bringing the party to disrepute.

 

“Those who are found wanting shall be disciplined appropriately, including but not limited to suspension, sacking and other sanctions known to the party constitution.

“The party is supreme. We shall uphold the supremacy of the party. We shall implement the manifestoes of the party and constitution,” he said.

In a separate news briefing at the party secretariat, Chukwuemeka insisted that his executive was duly elected.

“This morning, I deemed it fit that we will address a press conference so that everyone will be aware of what we are doing in PDP Rivers State.

“I want to say that here we are today is the state secretariat of the PDP in Rivers, ably led by myself, Chukwuemeka Aaron, as the state chairman of this party.

“I was duly elected, all the excos that were elected with me are here seated. We started as a caretaker committee of our party and we were saddled with the responsibility of conducting a fresh election to usher in a duly elected state, local government and ward executives.”

Chukwuemeka debunked claims that he defected to the APC, saying he remained a member of the PDP.

He added, “I have worked for this party since 1999, and I have served in various capacities, including local government party secretary, LG party chairman, deputy state chairman, and now state chairman.

“I have never defected from the PDP, and I remain committed to the party’s ideals and values.”

On the recent court ruling that nullified his emergence as state chairman, he described the judgment as “not executory,” saying he would appeal it.

Chukwuemeka called on the governor to allow peace to reign in the state.

“This is my office, we have taken possession and we cannot leave here.

“Whatever court judgment they have gotten, we are going to appeal it. We will follow due processes and ensure that there is peace and order in the state.

“We need peace in Rivers State and we cannot continue to file one litigation after another. We are peace-loving and law-abiding citizens, and we will not be intimidated by those who seek to undermine our party,” he said.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was in a meeting and promised to revert.

She had, however, yet to do so at the time of filing this report.