The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Adolphus Wabara, has expressed concerns over the possibility of the party losing Rivers State, warning that such a loss would equate to Nigeria losing its future.
Wabara made this statement on Tuesday during a visit to Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the Government House in Port Harcourt, where he led a delegation of PDP BoT members.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara, in response, reaffirmed that Rivers remains a PDP stronghold and expressed his unwavering commitment to the party.
Wabara, a former Senate President, explained that the visit was part of efforts by the BoT, as the party’s conscience, to seek peace and unity within the PDP.
“We, the Board of Trustees of this party, came here in search of peace and unity for the Peoples Democratic Party.
“We have been reading all kinds of things in newspapers and online. But, as elders of this great party, we decided to come and hear directly from the source.
“First of all, we want to thank you for standing firm because this party should not be allowed to collapse. I am thanking you on behalf of my colleagues, and as you can see, we are well represented nationally, not just from one geopolitical zone.
“We were alarmed, sir, when we heard or read speculations that, if we are not careful, the party might lose Rivers State. If we lose Rivers State, Nigeria has lost its future,” he said.
He further stated, “We don’t want a repeat of what happened in 2015 and 2023. These men and women you see here are very neutral, but as the conscience of the party, we must adhere to the rule of law. Anything done according to the rule of law cannot be wrong. It may be delayed, but it cannot be wrong.”
The BoT chairman acknowledged Fubara’s loyalty to the PDP, noting his patience with the party leadership during the political crisis in the state.
He added, “I don’t want to elaborate, but as a governor, we have former governors here, and I doubt they would have endured as much as you have. So, on behalf of this party, let me thank you for your resilience, wisdom, and commitment to the PDP.
“And to assure you that the Board of Trustees, under my leadership and with these serious-minded Nigerians, will address the matter as constitutionally permitted.”
In his response, Governor Fubara said any doubts about his membership in the PDP have been cleared.
He stated, “I want to thank the chairman and members of the Board of Trustees. Honestly speaking, if I had any doubts about my membership in this great party, today has reaffirmed that I am still, despite the drama around me, a committed member of the PDP.
“I want to thank you for taking the trouble to come to Rivers State to meet with the governor and the genuine supporters of the party. I must stress, ‘genuine,’ because we here are undiluted members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“For once, I am happy to see the leaders, including some founding fathers of the PDP, like Chief Bode George, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, and Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, joining this delegation to discuss the unity of the party.”
The PDP has been grappling with a leadership crisis, particularly within its Rivers chapter, where tensions have escalated between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now serving as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress-led government.