Politics

Rivers PDP Campaign: Wike Rates Obio/Akpor, Khana, Akuku Toru Best In Mobilisation

Published

3 years ago

February 20, 2023

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State on Saturday concluded its campaign rallies in a grand finale at Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
The Obio/Akpor campaign rally, which held at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, was attended by a mammoth crowd of party supporters and other stakeholders who thronged the venue to register their solidarity with the party.
Impressed by the huge turn out, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, while addressing the crowd, described the Obio/Akpor outing as the ‘Mother of all rallies’.
In his assessment of the entire campaign across the 23 LGAs of the state, Governor Wike rated Obio /Akpor, Khana and Akuku Toru LGAs respectively as the best in organisation and mobilisation and applauded the PDP leaders in these LGAs for their tactfulness and great capacities for coordination.
Governor Wike urged the people of Obio/ Akpor to convert their huge voting strength to victory for all candidates of the PDP in the state.
On the forthcoming Presidential polls, Governor Wike urged Rivers people not to vote for those who arrogate exclusive political powers to themselves without considering other parts of the country.
He reiterated that Rivers State would not trade its votes away without proper recompense and recognition in the scheme of things, noting that those who do not have Rivers State at heart should not expect votes from the state.
In similar vein, the Rivers State PDP last Friday held its campaign rally at Ngo, headquarters of Andoni LGA where Governor Wike used the opportunity to express his discontent over the implementation of currency swap policy by the President Muhammadu Buhari government, stating that the manner of implementation of the policy was insensitive to the plight of the masses.
He pointed out that the President’s decision to flout the orders of the Supreme Court was a threat to the rule of law and a constitutional democracy and therefore a prelude to anarchy.
The Rivers State Governor dissociated himself from the policy which he noted had caused Nigerians severe hardship.
In his campaign message, Governor Wike said a new era of political freedom and liberty that will fast-track development had heralded in Andoni. He urged the people to protect their political freedom from the shackles of bad leadership that previously denied them democratic dividends.
He described the completion of Andoni axis of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road which led to the successful driving to Ngo Town for the campaign as a major breakthrough for the people and urged the people to vote for Siminialayi Fubara and other candidates of the PDP in the area to attract more development projects to Andoni.
The PDP campaign train also landed at Tai LGA on Thursday with Gov Wike insisting that the PDP in Rivers State would refuse to be distracted by opposition forces but galvanize its support base to coast home to victory for all its candidates.
The Governor charged the people of Tai to remain supportive of the PDP by voting massively for Sir Siminalayi Fubara and other candidates of the party in the state to consolidate on the development gains already achieved by his administration.
AkukuToru and Ahoada LGAs also on Monday and Tuesday respectively, hosted the campaign rallies of the PDP, with Governor Wike charging the people to vote for Siminialayi Fubara and other candidates of the party for continuity and consolidation.
The Governor on Wednesday played host to Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his entourage who were on a courtesy call in Government House, Port Harcourt, shortly after the presidential campaign rally of the APC in the state capital.
Addressing the APC Presidential Candidate, Governor Wike expressed concern over the unfolding events in the country which he noted were not palatable to the country’s democratic transition. He called on the APC presidential candidate to prevail on his party to exercise restraint and caution in their policies in order not to derail the present transition process.

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A former National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Clement Ojukwu, has expressed regret that the several legal cases brought against the party since the 2023 general elections have impacted the party’s performance.

Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.

“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”

The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.

“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.

“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.

“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”

Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.

He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”

He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.

“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”

Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.

“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.

Politics

2027: NIGERIANS FAULT INEC ON DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP REGISTER DIRECTIVE

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A number of Nigerians have strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its directive to all political parties in the country to submit digitalized membership register within 32 days.

It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following it’s reversed timetable, directed all political parties in the country to submit their digitalized membership registers within 32 days.

Speaking on the reversed timetable in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, respondents said the directive amounted to disqualifying opposition political parties from fielding candidates in all the elections next year.

They said if the directives by the commission is implemented, only the All Progressives Congress (APC) would participate in the elections since it started it’s digital membership registration since February, last year.

Responding, an elder statesman in Rivers State, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, said the revised timetable was okay, but the timeframe for submission of digital membership register was being made at the wrong time.

Chief Chukumele said, for the past two years, all opposition political parties have been battling various issues in court, adding that they did not have the time to embark on membership drive, talk less of digitalizing their membership registers.

“My reaction is that the only issue with this revised timetable is the timeframe given by INEC for parties to submit digitalize memberships register in all the states of the federation, while giving notice of Congresses and convention. That is not possible”, he said.

He said only the ruling APC is likely to meet up with the directive, since it began its registration since last year.

Chief Chukumele, who is also the National Coordinator of Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought (CORSLOT), alleged that the directive of the electoral body may have been targeted to prevent other parties from fielding candidates for the elections next year.

“When you say all the parties should submit digitalized registers of membership in 32 days, how will that be possible to conclude it in 32 days”, he queried.

He noted that “APC used one year ago to do, so APC has one year in the kitty plus 30 days. This is highly regrettable”.

The CORSLOT national leader urged the election umpire to do away with stringent conditions that will make it hard for opposition political parties to field candidates in the elections.

Also speaking, Mr Jacob Enware from Edo State queried the rationale behind the directive, especially when some opposition political parties are still having cases in court.

In his words, ”What opposition political parties are you talking about, is Labour Party not in court or PDP that is yet to resolve their issues?

”For me, INEC should provide a level playing field for all, because aside the APC, no party can meet up this criteria.”

In his own response, Mr Nathaniel Ebere said he was not prepared to vote for anybody whether INEC provides a level playing field or not.

He alleged that his vote would not count, “so I will not waste my time”.

By: John Bibor

Politics

IT’S A LIE, G-5 GOVS DIDN’T WIN ELECTION FOR TINUBU – SOWUNMI

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has expressed reservations about the political stance of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while calling for reconciliation among key party figures.

Otunba Sowunmi made the remarks during a television interview on Saturday, when asked about the relationship between Gov. Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

He said, “I don’t believe Seyi Makinde. Because I know them all. I’ve been in this party since it was registered. And I’ve been loyal, faithful, diligent with this party from the get-go, and I’ve never left.”

He underscored his longstanding commitment to the PDP, referencing prominent figures who had exited the party at different times: “I’ve had the grace, and the honor, and the dignity of watching even my father, Obasanjo, shed his card. As much as I love him, I didn’t leave the party”.

He added, “I’ve had the privilege of watching my beloved senior brother, Governor Gbenga Daniel, leave the party a few times. As much as I respect his vision and his ideas, I’ve never left. I’ve watched my former principal, Atiku Abubakar, leave a few times. I’ve never left.”

Otunba Sowunmi stressed that his comments were rooted in deep involvement with the party: “So when I talk about PDP, I’m not talking as an outsider, I’m talking as one of their totems, who was actually carrying them.”

He disclosed that he wrote to Makinde during the governor’s last birthday, urging reconciliation among a bloc of five governors who had formed a movement during the 2023 elections.

“At Governor Seyi Makinde’s last birthday, I wrote him a letter where I tried to say, look, you guys, the five of you, succeeded to the extent of creating a movement of your own”, he said.

He added, “And you fought very hard to make a point in the 2023 election. Although I don’t believe you won the election for the president, that’s a lie. They contributed, but I hate when people take the glory of other people’s work.”

Otunba Sowunmi warned that unresolved differences among the group could weaken the party: “You guys, you must go back to your four friends, your five friends, and you guys go and sort it out. Because not sorting it out with your five friends is going to leave the party worse off.”

He added, “But now that you’re fighting, or you’re not agreeing with yourselves, why don’t you go back to that same energy that allowed you to agree, so that you can use that energy inside to agree, and then we can lead the party.”