Politics
PDP: The Peace Option
The Rivers State
Governor and Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi in July this year cried out that the state was under siege. His painful outburst was as a result if the glaring partisanship of the Rivers State Police Command in the political imbroglio rocking the state. The governor who was speaking when the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Administration came to Port Harcourt on a fact-finding mission said:
“Yesterday, they shot tear-gas into Government House. When we were meeting with the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) today, the police claimed that it was inadvertent that they shot tear-gas into Government House.
“So, I asked one question, supposing it was live bullet and it hit me? They said no, governor was not outside. But I said I was outside, you can check. We are under siege here”.
Since it became obvious a couple of months ago that the governor is not on the good books of the president, some political opponents of the governor have cashed in in this development to advance their selfish interest. Having secured the support of the presidency, the group led by the Minister of State for Education, Hon Nyesom Wike, has engaged the services of the Rivers State Police Command in a war of attrition. The police in the state take directives from the group while the state governor who is constitutionally recognised as the chief security officer of the state is despised and subjected to all forms of humiliation. Nigerians in their numbers have continually expressed their discomfiture over the attitude of the police in the state, and the National Assembly two months ago acted swiftly by passing a resolution, calling on the Inspector-General of Police to redeploy Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu. But the IGP for whatever reason has not effected this resolution.
Of course, evil begets evil. Now the crisis in Rivers PDP which is being fuelled by the powers-that-be has engulfed the entire party with the emergence of the new PDP. Surprisingly, a presidency that was visibly unperturbed about the ugly incidents that characterised the intra-party crisis in Rivers State became a trouble-shooter overnight. The reason being that a split in the PDP will impact negatively on the ruling party in 2015 general elections, particularly at the federal level.
Although the key-players in the crisis have repeatedly expressed the willingness to resolve their differences amicably, their actions and those of their foot-soldiers suggest the contrary. In spite of various litigations in the courts of law, both sides have continued to engage in verbal war. Those who are privileged to apply coercive powers have been very dutiful. Could it be the reason why security details attached to Senator Bukola Saraki, who of late has become a regular guest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Alhaji Kawu Baraje were withdrawn?
Again, the President a forthnight ago sacked nine ministers from his cabinet. Yes, it is the prerogative of the President to hire and fire his ministers at will, but some political observers attributed his action to the crisis in the party as most of the ministers who were booted out of office were nominated by the G-7 governors. To buttress this point was the sack of Dr Shamsudeen Usman whom the President recently described as the best minister that piloted the affairs of the Ministry of National Economic Planning. Indeed, the president will find it an uphill task to convince Nigerians that the ministers that were sacked from his cabinet were the worst among the lot.
Also, Nigerians were thinking that the on-going reconciliation in the PDP would be applauded by the Police in Rivers State as an instrument that was created to maintain law and order, but they were disillusioned when Governor Amaechi in company of former speakers of state legislatures across the country was blocked by the police from accessing a shorter route to his official residence.
Meanwhile, the Police had earlier in the day sealed off the new PDP secretariat that was inaugurated by the Chief of Staff, Hon Tony Okocha. What impunity! This is not acceptable in a democracy. Political pundits are of the view that the Commissioner of Police is merely carrying out directives from Oga at the top.
Two days later, the Minister of State for Education, Hon Nyesom Wike added insult to injury when he declared that he would not allow Governor Amaechi to open a secretariat of the parallel People’s Democratic Party in Rivers State.
Speaking at Abonnema, during the inauguration of Grassroots Democratic Initiative (GDI), Wike said, “Change has come to Rivers. Amaechi, you are not God, because you are tenant. Your house rent has expired and you cannot pay. Pack and go. Tenant, pack and go.
“There is only one PDP. Those who said they have two million votes, they are still going for meetings to give conditions. We are not accepting any condition. The only chairman of the party is Felix Obuah.
“They wanted to dare us to see whether we are still in government. We are in government. We are PDP government and nobody can open office of any parallel party in Rivers State. They should go to their Government House, because their rent has expired”, he said.
The Minister of State for Education is one of the president’s foot-soldiers. From his ulterance, it is clear that the peace- talk is a smokescreen. But political pundits are of the view that the president is being deceived by his foot-soldiers, creating the impression that the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Federal Republic of Nigeria can easily deploy soldiers to any part of the country to secure his victory at the presidential poll.
Could it be that what is going on in Rivers State is an experiment in preparation for the 2015 general elections? If so, they are treading a dangerous path, because Nigerians are wiser now. We believe that the President is morally bound to keep Nigeria in one piece come 2015, no matter whose ox is gored. We wish him well.
Reward Akwu
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.
