PDP Moves To End Fubara, Wike Feud

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is actively working to reconcile the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The party which is determined to restore harmony, is focused on bringing unity between the two leaders to aid effective governance.

Despite speculations about Wike potentially joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP remains hopeful in resolving the internal conflict.

The PDP publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement, expressed confidence that the party can successfully address the political crisis in Rivers State.

He said, “Rivers people have supported us over the years. What is required is peace and tranquility so that they can begin to enjoy the benefits of the dividends of democracy. This has been our thinking and there are undercurrent movements in terms of reaching out to parties.

“We can prioritize our consideration, our interest in the people because that is the whole essence of why we are here and that is why they voted for us. That’s our focus for now as a party, to ensure that peace, understanding come in, and we are doing well in that regard.

“The emphasis is to reconcile all the various interests and gladiators such that they will recognize the need to put the people first, and when they put the people first, other things will be secondary.”

He argued that to assume that the party could not reconcile the governor with his former mentor; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will suggest that the effort will be a failure, asserting that in the PDP, “we don’t do that. We are very positive in our party.”

He also said that to ask whether the PDP can bring them together is to already indict the former ruling party or saying it is incapable, which he said will be very wrong “because the challenge to the capacity of any manager of any party is to find those areas of conflict and try to resolve them and Rivers State is not an exception.”

The PDP spokesman posited that no matter the differences between Fubara and Wike, there is always room to speak as he noted that “there is no conflict even in war where people don’t speak.”

“So, don’t ask me whether we can resolve the conflict or the party can deliver. Yes, Rivers is a bad case but we will continue to try because it’s a work in progress and human interest is involved, it takes a process. If you don’t like it because it may not be fast enough, in democracy, what you do is consultation, what you do is reaching out, and that takes time to mature.”

However, he declined to reveal whether the PDP has already reached out to Wike saying, “I’m not going to discuss the party’s internal process with you. We have our processes and that is being activated and we are making sure of progress.

“We as a party, what we believe in is the reconciliation of people so that they will know that it is beyond special interest and it is about the people of Rivers State. That is the emphasis and we will do everything in that regard to ensure that all gladiators in Rivers State come together, not just for themselves and for the party, but for the people that they serve.”

Ologunagba maintained that the PDP is well organized enough to resolve the Rivers issue, adding that all the party organs have been activated including the PDP Governors Forum, the National Working Committee (NWC), members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) members who he revealed are all now involved.

The PDP national spokesman stressed the need for the opposition to unite to provide a robust check to the excesses of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who he accused of sneaking totalitarianism into the country.

Citing the recent appointment of alleged APC members into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), he said it will require a virile opposition to halt the drift into totalitarianism for the sake of the Nigerian people.