Politics
No Second Class Ethnic Groups In Rivers State – Walson Jack
One of the leading aspir
ants for the governorship of Rivers State under the platform of the PDP is Hon. Nimi Walson-Jack. Like his other colleagues, he and his supporters boycotted the Ward Congresses of November 1, 2014 across Rivers State for lack of transparency in the processes. In this interview, he shares his opinion on key political issues affecting the PDP in Rivers State.
PDP in Rivers seems to have lost its unity and oneness because of the choice of a flag bearer. What solution is in sight?
PDP has not lost its unity and oneness. Jostling for elective offices is part of the democratic culture. The insistence on rights by members of a political party is normal democratic practice. What is in issue here is the hijack of a political party by an interest group and the subversion of the internal democratic process provided for in the Constitution of the Party.
Events in Rivers State PDP remind us of the caution by George Washington who said political parties, “are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”
The first solution is the establishment of a caretaker committee that would ensure internal democracy and provide a level playing field for all aspirants. The second solution is the zoning of elective offices in the State as provided for in the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Zoning is clearly leading to division in the PDP fold. Can there be no understanding outside zoning?
The PDP and indeed, all political parties have practised zoning and rotation in all States and for all elective offices since the return to democracy in 1999, in accordance with the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and those of the various political parties. The issue is the denial and the subversion of the entrenched principle of zoning and rotation of political offices. So there can be no solution outside zoning and rotation and the enforcement of internal democracy in accordance with the constitution of the PDP.
About 16 of you, mostly from the riverine are against the party fielding an uplander, especially an Ikwerre man. The argument tends to run against the tenets of democracy. Is there any evidence to support that Rivers people or PDP agreed to discountenance democratic dictates for a rather gentlemanly agreement?
I have been a student, teacher and practitioner of democracy since 1996, trained by the government of the United States of America. Zoning, rotation and affirmative action are all part of the mechanism of social justice entrenched in the operations of a democratic society. The point being made here is that zoning is acceptable as the moral content of democracy, which emphasises the need for equity. This then means that one ethnic group or one interest group should not dominate the others.
So zoning and rotation are not a gentleman’s agreement. They are clearly provided for in both the Nigerian Constitution and the PDP Constitution. The leaders of likeminded political associations in Nigeria who founded the Peoples’ Democratic Party on 28th July 1998 resolved, among others, to conform to the principles of power shift and power sharing by rotating key political offices amongst the diverse peoples of the country. This resolve is captured in both the preamble and Section 7(2) (g) & (h) of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), wherein the Party commits to promoting national and the peaceful co-existence of the diverse communities of the country. The party also strives to promote an egalitarian society founded on freedom, equality and justice.
In order to attain these aims and objectives, the PDP gives itself a Constitutional obligation in S. 7 (3) (c) of its Constitution to adhere to the policy of the ROTATION AND ZONING OF PARTY AND PUBLIC ELECTIVE OFFICES in pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness.
The PDP Constitutional obligation is in furtherance of the fundamental objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), which states that the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice. The Nigerian Constitution declares in Section 14(4) that ‘the composition of a State …or any of the agencies of such government … shall be carried out in such manner as to recognize in the conduct of the affairs of the Government … the diversity of the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the peoples ….’
This fundamental position of the Peoples Democratic Party cannot be wished away, abrogated, suspended, or cancelled by any official or organ of the party except through an amendment to the Constitution of the Party. Only the National Convention has the powers to amend the Party’s Constitution. Incidentally, that power cannot be delegated. A State Executive Committee of the PDP has no power to take actions, or make statements contrary to the express provisions of the Party’s Constitution, especially one that requires a Constitutional amendment.
In the last 15 years, since the PDP won and formed the government in Rivers State, there has been absolute respect for the principles of rotation and zoning between ethnic groups, senatorial districts and the upland/riverine dichotomy. The election of Governors and their deputies have largely reflected an upland/riverine balance, and diversity in Senatorial districts and ethnic origin. Even the appointment to the offices of Speaker of the House of Assembly and other House Officers, Secretary to Government, and Head of Civil Service of the State have been a combination of merit, qualification, competence and an appreciation of the ethnic divide in the State.
Despite the attempts by some persons from one ethnic group to marginalise other ethnic groups, the political cohesion in the State continues to hold. Many years after the collapse of apartheid, the lesson of history is that no persons or ethnic groups were either born to be second class citizen, or hewers of wood and drawers of water. It has never been, and would never be in the Rivers State of our Commonwealth.
With the 16 of you against Nyesom Wike, PDP is not sure of success if they field Wike. Have you considered this consequence?
We cannot at this time predict how voters will react. Our interest here is to ensure that the flag-bearer of the Party emerges through the Constitutional process.
If you do not get your demand, what will you do next?
I have no escape plan. We know that our demand is right and we have confidence in the national leadership of the Party to do what is right. Our confidence comes from the fact that what we are asking for is a constitutional right, which and has been implemented in Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom and Adamawa States, amongst others.
Is there any atom of truth in the insinuation that some of you, the aspirants, are planted in PDP to destabilize it and cause it to lose to the APC?
First, I would speak for myself. I am a member of the PDP. I am not a member of the APC or any other Party. I was not planted in the PDP by APC or any other political party. As a matter of fact, I have associated with the PDP right from its inception.
I have never been a traitor in my life. Only moles know what moles look like.
Consultations for my Governorship bid commenced in January 2013, when there was no APC. So I could not have been a mole of a Party that was not in existence.
In any case, we should not lose sight of the fact that most of those who accuse others of being moles are themselves members of the ACN who left for the PDP just before the merger of the legacy Parties that formed it. So many of us believe that there is a grand plot to destroy the PDP by these men, who, themselves, are the very first to accuse others of being moles when issues of Party administration are brought to the fore.
Most of you have also been accused of doing nothing to help the party against its former leader but now want to be governors after Wike had single handedly bailed it from troubled waters. How true is this and why were you rather asleep when you should have worked?
The PDP was not in shackles so nobody can claim to have bailed it out of any troubled waters. To the extent that Wike, Obuah and Walter were in-charge when Governor Amaechi pulled out to join the APC, the PDP was not liberated from any person or group. The PDP was hijacked for a personal governorship ambition. Someone stirred-up the trouble and turned round to appear to be solving it and now demands the office of Governor as compensation for ‘liberating’ the PDP.
Despite the policy of exclusion of non GDI members from the State PDP, I have personally been involved in the retention and recruitment of new members for the PDP through these trying times. In the early days of the defections of PDP members to the APC, there is evidence that I made concerted appeals to defecting members to return to the PDP. That appeal contributed immensely to the avalanche of the return of defecting members to the PDP.
I have also contributed to building cohesion within the party. It is rather unfortunate that today support is defined only in terms of monetary contributions; that is the problem of materialism in society.
Your party hierarchy seems not to be paying heed to your prayers. What is happening here?
It is not true that the national leadership has ignored our complaints and concerns. The Party hierarchy is paying heed to our prayers. The establishment of the National Integration Committee for the South-South is an acknowledgment that our complaints are being addressed. Like the democrats we are, we have submitted our complaints through memoranda. We travelled all the way to Abuja to appear before the Committee. We are awaiting the outcome of the reconciliatory process.
It does not seem Wike is going to drop his ambition. Why can’t you all run against him or work in unison to ensure your own choice of candidate emerges?
Everyone has a right to have an ambition; whether to drop or pursue that ambition is a personal decision. But every ambition must be pursued within the confines of the provisions of the PDP Constitution.
It is not a case of our running againt any particular individual. It is about complying with the provisions of the Constitution of our Party and providing a level playing field for all. The aspirants are already united in fighting against injustice. However, when it comes to contesting the election, the aspirants will run based on their own vision and mission.
What’s your reaction to Saturday’s Ward congresses, which 16 of you reportedly boycotted?
The congresses were a sham. They did not hold in many Wards. The process was rigged. Cronies were appointed to officiate. First, we called for postponement and now we are calling for the cancellation of the Ward congresses in Rivers State. Our reasons being that the PDP in the State has been hijacked by an ethnic based organisation; the Administration of the PDP has been to the exclusion of certain members who are not members of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI); Non-registration of new Party members and revalidation of membership of old members who are opposed to the interests of a group in the State PDP; Illegal and unconstitutional removal of Ward, Local Government and State Party officers elected at the congress of 2012; the issue of zoning and rotation of elective offices; Refusal of the State Chapter of the Party to issue Delegates Nomination Forms to members other than those of the GDI; Refusal to receive / collect Nomination Forms obtained from the national Secretariat by some aspirants; and Chairman and Members of Congress Panel being loyalists, personal staff and associates of Nyesom Wike, while as Minister of State for Education.
Don’t you see the boycott as a likely end to your aspiration?
I have said that the Ward congresses were a sham. My aspiration cannot die because of an act of illegality. Nigerian political history is replete with illegal congresses that have been set aside or cancelled and proper ones conducted in which the true winners emerged.
Nimi Walson-Jack
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had taken note of Mr Obi’s defection alongside some of his supporters, as well as what it called a “lacklustre speech” delivered by the former Anambra State governor at the defection event.
“We wondered what new he intends to sell to Nigerians,” the party said, adding that it was not surprised by the move, having “since September 2024, parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly.”
According to the statement, the faction said it had patiently awaited Mr Obi’s exit, describing it as a blessing.
“The party is finally liberated by this defection and as party leaders, we count it as a blessing,” the party said.
The faction further disclosed that it had previously urged Mr Obi and his supporters to leave if they were unable to work with the party leadership.
It claimed that several lawmakers had been suspended for anti-party activities and that similar action would have been taken against Mr Obi but for the intervention of “some well-meaning Nigerians.”
It also blamed its internal crisis on Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring what it described as an insurrection against the Julius Abure-led leadership.
“The crisis we had in the Labour Party was caused by Peter Obi and the Abia State governor, Alex Otti,” the statement alleged, adding that it was surprising Dr Otti had not followed Mr Obi out of the party despite his suspension.
Reacting to Mr Obi’s defection event in Enugu, the faction claimed the gathering was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East, insisting that those present were “political spent forces who cannot win in their wards should there be an election today.”
It warned that this development signalled the failure of any future Mr Obi presidential or vice-presidential ambition, claiming he had “clearly lost the charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023.”
The faction also accused Mr Obi of misleading the South East during the 2023 elections, alleging that the region suffers political marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a result.
“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government because they trusted and believed in him in 2023,” the statement said, alleging disparities in ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation to the zone.
The Abure-Led LP apologised to Nigerians for its decision in the last election.
“We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation in 2023, but time has since proved that we made the greatest political mistake. We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians,” the party said.
It urged Nigerians to watch out for a rebranded Labour Party, promising to present “the best prospect” capable of returning Nigeria to what it described as its “glorious days.”
steadily toward unity, justice, and shared prosperity”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at his country home in Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Oluyede said the development came as a shock, stressing that INEC supervised and monitored the PDP governorship primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
According to him, INEC officials documented the process, completed all required forms, and even affirmed his candidacy in court through sworn affidavits arising from cases linked to the primary election.
He maintained that no court order or injunction currently restrains INEC from listing his name as the PDP candidate, arguing that the electoral body lacks the constitutional power to determine who emerges as a party’s nominee.
Dr Oluyede described such decisions as the exclusive responsibility of political parties, not the electoral umpire.
While playing down panic over the released list, Dr Oluyede noted that electoral processes often involve reviews and corrections.
He disclosed that he had commenced wide consultations, including engagements with PDP leadership and formal correspondence with INEC, to seek clarification on the omission and determine the next line of action.
The PDP candidate assured his supporters across Ekiti State that he would appear on the ballot, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved in his favour.
He described attempts to exclude candidates from elections as dangerous and undemocratic, warning that such tactics undermine the people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr Oluyede called on the people of Ekiti to reject any form of disenfranchisement, insisting that elections should be contests of ideas, records, and acceptance by the electorate rather than exclusionary maneuvers.
He also declared that the PDP in Ekiti had resolved its past internal crises and was now united, focused, and ready to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, expressing optimism that, with divine grace and the will of the people, the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.
Mr Obi spoke while formally declaring for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a well-attended event in Enugu on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as a fresh roadmap for rescuing the country from its socio-economic challenges.
Addressing party members, supporters and other stakeholders, the former governor stressed that leadership must be driven by integrity and accountability, warning against the culture of double standards in public office.
“We cannot continue to deceive our people. Leadership is about telling the truth and leading by example. You cannot promise one thing in public and do another in private. That is not leadership, and that is not the change Nigeria needs”, Mr Obi said.
He maintained that genuine national rebirth would only be possible if entrenched wrongs were corrected, adding that governance must be guided by competence, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.
Mr Obi also underscored the need for fresh thinking in the nation’s political space, urging political actors to move away from recycled ideas that have failed to deliver sustainable development.
“We must come with new ideas,” he said, adding that “Nigeria’s problems are not mysterious; what has been lacking is the courage and competence to address them differently. We need a new approach that puts people first and focuses on production, not consumption.”
Calling for a broad based political collaboration, Mr Obi appealed to parties and stakeholders across ideological divides to work together in the national interest.
“This country is bigger than any party or individual. All parties must come together to change the present trend. What matters is not the platform, but the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its citizens”, he declared.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Mr Obi challenged aspirants seeking elective offices to ensure transparency in their credentials, warning that the era of falsified certificates was drawing to a close.
“Anyone contesting for any position in 2027 must come with genuine certificates. All the machinery is now in place to verify what is genuine and what is not. Integrity must start from the very foundation of leadership”, he stated.
Drawing lessons from international development models, Mr Obi cited Rwanda and Indonesia as examples of countries that rose from difficult beginnings to become thriving economies through disciplined leadership and sound policies.
“These countries were once behind us,” he noted, adding that “Today, they are moving ahead because they chose competent leadership, clear vision and policies that support local production and human capital development.”
He also criticised the economic policies of the present administration, particularly the continued importation of food items that can be produced locally, describing such practices as inimical to national development.
“You cannot grow an economy by killing local production. Importing food that we can produce in Nigeria destroys jobs, weakens our farmers and drains our foreign exchange. A serious country must produce what it consumes”, he argued.
The event featured renewed calls from ADC supporters for sustained engagement and mobilisation, as Mr Obi reiterated his belief that Nigeria remains redeemable if led with honesty, competence and a commitment to shared national progress.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, expressed confidence in the emerging coalition, assuring Nigerians that the party would deliver good governance at all levels of administration if entrusted with power.
The gathering also witnessed the defection of several prominent politicians from different political parties across the South-East and beyond.
The motion endorsing the defection was moved by a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by former economic adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Goodwill messages from notable political figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chief Sam Egwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Achike Udenwa, Mr Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Gilbert Nnaji among others, further underscored the growing momentum within the ADC.