Police Take Over Rivers PDP Secretariat Amid Crisis

The Rivers State Police Command on Thursday took control of the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as political tensions reached a boiling point.

This comes after rival factions of the party, loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike and current Governor Siminalayi Fubara, each sought to assert their leadership at the party’s headquarters.

The dispute intensified following a ruling by the Rivers State High Court on January 13, 2024, which barred Aaron Chukwuemeka, who heads the faction loyal to Wike, from acting as the state chairman of Rivers PDP. The court had issued an injunction following a legal challenge from Edwin Woko and other party members, who argued that the congresses held by the Wike faction in July and August 2024 violated previous court orders.

Despite the court ruling, Chukwuemeka’s faction attempted to resume operations at the secretariat, claiming they remained the legitimate leadership of the party. However, in anticipation of a confrontation, a large number of armed police officers were deployed to the secretariat, blocking access to the building with several police vans and anti-riot units.

The security presence caused disruption in the area, with traffic snarls reported around the secretariat. Eyewitnesses confirmed that, despite the police presence, Chukwuemeka managed to enter the building, insisting on his authority as the authentic PDP chairman in Rivers.

Meanwhile, Robinson Ewor, the leader of the rival faction loyal to Governor Fubara, announced that his group had planned to take over the secretariat on Thursday in accordance with the court’s injunction. However, Ewor stated that the police had advised his faction to delay the takeover in order to prevent any violence. He stated that his faction was committed to a peaceful resolution and urged the national leadership of the PDP to officially recognize Fubara as the party’s leader in Rivers State.

The leadership crisis in Rivers State has its roots in a failed impeachment attempt against Governor Fubara in October 2023, spearheaded by lawmakers loyal to Wike. Since then, the rivalry between the two factions has escalated, with both sides accusing each other of undermining the party’s unity.