The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been left in the dark by Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike, who has disregarded party leaders at ceremonies planned by his government to inaugurate some of the finished projects.
It was noted that this was the first time in a long time that the governor neglected to invite important PDP figures to a number of project commissioning and inauguration ceremonies.
Wike extended uncommon invites to the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders to inaugurate finished projects in Rivers in the program of festivities scheduled to begin on Monday.
While the previous governor of Sokoto State will be in the state on Tuesday to officially open the dualised Ogbum-Nu-Abali Eastern Bypass, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been invited to officially open the Orochiri-Worukwo flyover.
Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, who will officially open the House of Assembly quarters on Friday, and former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who will oversee the dualization of Azikiwe Illoabuchi Road, are among those invited.
There were hints that the tension between the PDP’s national leadership and the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, that arose during the selection of Atiku’s running mate, was far from resolved.
According to party insiders, Atiku made it less likely that he could defeat Rivers and Wike in the upcoming election with his statements and body language.
By contacting other party leaders in the state without consulting Wike, Atiku appeared to be attempting to split the Rivers PDP.
Confirming rumors that Atiku met with Rivers PDP leaders covertly, including former senator Lee Meeba, Austin Opara, and former governor Celestine Omehia, further enraged Wike failed.
It was also learned that the Governing Council of Elechi Amadi Polytechnic recently disbanded, and Lee Meeba’s ouster as Chairman was a result of the purported meeting with Atiku.
Wike immediately disbanded the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic Governing Council last Thursday.
The dissolution was stated in a statement that Prince Chinedu Mmom, the commissioner for education, signed.
The message demanded that council members turn over to the school administration all school property they were holding.
During a conference that resulted in a deadlock, Wike is alleged to have charged several party elders and leaders with arranging private talks with Atiku.
However, it was reported that the governor took some extreme measures to reorganise the PDP’s leadership in local government areas when its former leaders displayed signs of disloyalty.
However, a PDP leader who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed that the rumored meeting between Atiku and certain Rivers PDP stalwarts was only speculative.
He cautioned that anyone who believed they could win over Rivers residents, particularly PDP members, without governor Nyesom Wike would be acting suicidally.
He said: “These issues are still speculative. There hasn’t been any official statement to confirm them. But anybody who thinks he can bypass the governor to get the support of Rivers people should simply think again. It is politically suicidal to think so.
“I think that PDP leaders in Rivers should come together and hold a meeting. Governor Wike has surpassed the promises he made to Rivers people and the people love him. He also has total control of the PDP. Therefore, it will not be possible to bypass him”.