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Why PDP Extended CTC’s Tenure …Holds Inaugural NEC Meeting
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has explained that the need to avoid leadership vacuum after security agencies shamelessly botched the scheduled elective National convention in Port Harcourt was one of the potent reasons for the extension of the tenure of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the party by 12 months.
The party also emphasised that delegates decided to extend the tenure of the caretaker committee by 12 months to enable the conclusion of all the litigations in courts, reconciliation efforts as well as restore peace to the party before the next convention in 2017.
The Tide reports that the August 17, 2016, National Convention, which held at the state PDP Secretariat on Aba Road in Port Harcourt unanimously approved the extension of the tenure of the National Caretaker Committee by 12 months, while also increasing its membership to 13.
Moving the motion for the extension of the tenure of the caretaker committee, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said it was important to avoid leadership vacuum and allow room for the resolution of all outstanding cases in courts.
Seconding the motion, the former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina, said the prevailing circumstances impose a burden on the party to resolve its differences, and fashion out how best to prepare for the 2019 general elections, which the PDP must win, to restore confidence in the country’s democracy.
The Chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee, and Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, however, put the question for the extension of the lifespan of the committee to members, who through a unanimous voice vote, approved the motion.
The convention further expanded the membership of the National Caretaker Committee to 13, and also restated its resolve that no member of the current National Caretaker Committee should contest elections into the National Working Committee (NWC) whenever it is held.
The Tide reports that delegates at the National Convention had earlier adopted a motion moved by the House Minority Leader, Rep Leo Ogor, to amend the agenda of the National Convention and step down the issue of election into various positions in the NWC.
The National Convention of the PDP took place at the Secretariat of the PDP in Rivers State along Aba Road after the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had deployed security agencies to take over the Sharks Stadium in Port Harcourt, where the event was billed to take place.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Donald Awunah, explained that officers and men of the police were deployed to take over the venue of the convention as early as 4am on Wednesday to avert anarchy and break down of law and order.
Awunah said the primary responsibility of the police was to protect life and prevent crisis, and added that due to the tension and the conflicting rulings by courts of coordinate jurisdiction on the National Convention, the police thought it best to seal off the venue.
According to him, “the warring parties need to follow due process to end their crisis through the courts, and as a law enforcement agency, what do you do? You ensure that there is a superior court order. It is not about taking sides.
“If in the next one hour or two, we get another court order, we will take action. We are there for every Nigerian but when you are the first responder, you have to take action, you have to be proactive.”
It would be recalled that the Rivers State Police command had later on Tuesday, issued a statement, signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Omoni Nnamdi, confirming the readiness of officers and men of the command to provide adequate security and protect delegates to the convention in line with the order of a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, last week.
However, following the twist of events, party leaders in separate goodwill messages at the National Convention, condemned the Federal Government for entrenching political impunity, arguing that it was a huge threat to the country’s democracy.
In his acceptance speech, Chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, assured that the committee will continue to forge ahead with efforts to reposition the party for future political contests.
He condemned the invasion of the earlier venue of the National Convention, pointing out that it was undemocratic for the security agencies to take such action illegally.
Also speaking, Chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee, Chief Nyesom Wike, stated that the PDP will always survive all obstacles because the people are showing love and support for the party.
The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu also said the suffering in the country has forced the people to begin to crave for the PDP to return.
Former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, added that the PDP was the choice of all Nigerians because it was a democratic and inclusive party.
Other leaders, who condemned the action of the security agencies during the National Convention, include the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and former Minister of External Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi.
A delegate from Anambra State, Chief Ugochukwu Okeke, said the decision was a step in the right direction aimed at moving the party forward.
“We will continue to explore all avenues to bring peace to the PDP, and remain a very viable opposition,” he said.
Another delegate, Mr Obi Kachi, said that the party decided to relocate to its secretariat on Aba Road for a non-elective convention because it respects the rule of law and abides by its constitution.
“We support the tenure extension because it is a good decision taken by our members to keep the party going,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Ben Murray-Bruce, has said that the only way to achieve peace in the PDP is through dialogue.
Murray-Bruce, therefore, urged the Senator Ahmed Makarfi and the Ali Modu Sheriff-led factions to show maturity and initiate dialogue in the interest of the party.
Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court, Abuja had ordered the stoppage of the Convention while another Federal High Court in Port Harcourt gave a nod to the National Convention.
While the Makarfi-led faction had Tuesday approached the Appeal Court to give vent to its course, the Sheriff-led faction called on the Chief Justice of Federation to intervene in the rulings.
Meanwhile, the National Caretaker Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has inaugurated the National Executive Committee (NEC), with a tacit charge on members to work towards peaceful reconciliation and build a formidable party capable of wresting power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.
Performing the inauguration at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, Makarfi said that the National Executive Committee include the PDP governors, National Assembly Caucus, Board of Trustees, National Caucus, 36 state PDP chairmen and the 13-member national officers of the party.
He said that in the absence of the elected national officers, the National Caretaker Committee members will be part of NEC.
Makarfi further said that the National Caretaker Committee members would cease to be NEC members once national officers have been elected at a National Convention.
At the meeting were PDP governors, members of National Assembly Caucus, Board of Trustees, National Caucus, 36 state PDP chairmen, and National Caretaker Committee members of the party.
The meeting later went into a closed door session, and journalists were not allowed to observe the proceedings.
Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) of his administration’s commitment to supporting and strengthening the scheme in the State.
Fubara gave the assurance last Friday at the NYSC permanent orientation camp, Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area in the State, during the swearing-in ceremony of 2026 Batch B Stream II orientation course.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Bureau, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Promise Oguzie, the governor said the State Government would remain intentional in providing the necessary support to improve the NYSC scheme and enhance the experiences of corps members deployed to the state.
He charged the corps members to be role models and quality nation-builders in their service to the good people of Rivers State in particular, and Nigeria at large.
“I charge you to be exemplary, dedicated and committed in all you do. Take full advantage of all the camp programmes and activities to enrich yourselves”, he said.
In his welcome address, the State Coordinator of NYSC in Rivers State, Mr. Moses Oleghe, urged corps members to see their deployment to Rivers State as a “veritable opportunity to make meaningful contribution to the growth of the State in particular and Nigeria at large.”
He further charged them to serve with all sense of “integrity, discipline, and the fear of God, especially when they will be engaged as INEC ad-hoc staff that will conduct the 2027 general elections.”
A total of 3,584 corps members composed of 1,421 males and 2,163 females were sworn in by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, who was represented by Justice Godspower Aguma.
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders for the nation to move in the right direction and make meaningful progress.
The Governor stated this yesterday when he received in audience, the World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler; his wife, Andriene Marques Kohler; daughter Mariana Marques Kohler and a retinue of ministers of the church at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Fubara who hailed the Seventh Day Adventist Church for its contributions to education and the grooming of future leaders in Nigeria, expressed delight that the Church had over the years, been investing in education at various levels and currently runs two universities in the country.
He commended the church for not only using its institutions to spread the gospel of Christianity but to groom future leaders for the country.
According to him, religion should not be just about defending one’s faith, but also making meaningful impact on the lives of the people.
He said that by floating these educational institutions, the church has demonstrated capacity to support Nigeria in the task of producing not only educated people but a breed of God-fearing leaders.
“Our country is where it is today because we lack the fear of God. If you have the fear of God, there should be a limit to what you can do because you understand the supremacy of God. But when God is not in your equation, you’ll go beyond the line and that is what has brought us to where we are today.
“So, I feel very happy that you are contributing to the development of our future leaders in this country. We need the right people being in the right place; prepared properly with good minds; that is what we need, not just in Nigeria but round the whole world.,” he said.
Governor Fubara further observed that the absence of God-fearing people in high places to take the right decisions that could impact positively on the society, has also given rise to other problems such as social inequality, poverty, corruption and criminality. According to him, Nigeria needs a system where the average parent could afford quality education for their children and a guarantee that upon graduation, the average child will have the capacity to compete favourably with anybody, anywhere in the world.
“If we have a situation where the little money that you’re being paid as wage can also afford you quality healthcare and after working at least for 15-20 years, you have a roof over your head, tell me why you should be involved in any kind of crime? At that point, you’ll feel secured and this attitude of insecurity about the future that leads to all the social vices we have today won’t be there,” he said.
Governor Fubara expressed appreciation to the delegation for the visit and for their prayers for Rivers State, assuring them of his continued support for their programmes in the state.
Leader of the delegation and World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler said he was in Nigeria for a special conference of the church during which thousands of the church’s ministers will be undergoing an empowerment programme to further equip them for the task of herding their flocks and serving the society.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for the warm reception accorded his entourage, saying the memory of the visit will linger in his mind for a lifetime.
Kohler disclosed that the Church has over twenty -four million (24,000,000) members and more than 182,000 places of worship, spread across 212 countries of the world.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has approved the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This reaffirms the lawmakers’ commitment to enacting laws and taking legislative actions geared towards the overall development of the State.
The Assembly gave the approval during its Second Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session held last Friday.
Speaking on the MTEF document during plenary, the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, noted that by the provision of Section 10(1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law No. 8 of 2010, the MTEF ought to have been laid before the House in September 2025.
Amaewhule explained that traditionally, the document is expected to be presented four months before the commencement of the next financial year and immediately after the expiration of every three-year fiscal cycle.
He, however, stated that in the interest of the State and its people, the House considered it necessary to deliberate on the document, describing it as a precursor to the 2026 Budget Estimates.
The Speaker expressed concern that the year had already progressed significantly before the presentation of the framework.
During deliberations on the document, members examined the assumptions and projections contained in the MTEF and observed that strict adherence to the outlined fiscal parameters would ultimately serve the interest of Rivers people.
The lawmakers maintained that effective implementation of the framework would promote prudent financial management and enhance developmental planning across the State.
Following the debate and positive consideration by members, the Speaker put the question to the House and members voted overwhelmingly in support of the approval of the MTEF.
Meanwhile, during the same sitting last Friday, the House also received a petition from the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr. Gift Worlu.
The petition was presented by the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, Hon. Emilia Amadi.
According to the petition, concerns were raised over an imminent security breach, threats to lives, destruction of property and alleged forceful takeover of property by some lawless persons within parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the petition before the House, Hon. Amadi appealed to the lawmakers to revisit the matter and take necessary steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property in the affected communities.
The House is expected to further deliberate on the petition and consider measures to address the concerns raised in order to sustain peace and security in the area.
King Onunwor
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