Wike vs Fubara: PDP Postpones NWC Meeting to Prevent Confrontation, "Pressure From Governors"

• Umar Damagum, the PDP acting national chairman, has reportedly postponed the main opposition party’s national working committee (NWC) meeting
• Amid the unending party crisis in Rivers state and Nyesom Wike's latest threat, it was expected that the issue would be discussed at the NWC meeting
• Wike had on Saturday, August 31, during a factional congress in Rivers, threatened to instigate a crisis in any state whose governor interfered with the politics of the oil-rich province

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering politics and governance.

Port Harcourt, Rivers state - Due to increasing tensions and to prevent confrontation at the national working committee (NWC) meeting originally scheduled for Wednesday, September 4, the acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, reportedly postponed the meeting till next week.

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This is coming amid a monthslong feud between the federal capital territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state.

Damagum postponed the meeting amid increasing tension between Messrs Wike and Fubara, and out of concern that it (the meeting) might lead to a confrontation.

Wike and the PDP governors' forum were expected to meet at the party’s NWC meeting at Wadata Plaza, the party's national headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, September 4.

Emmanuel Agbo, the director general (DG) of the PDP governors forum, had stated that a meeting to address Wike’s threat to "put fire" in states whose governors are taking sides with Fubara was imminent.

However, The Punch on Thursday, September 5, reported that the PDP decided to postpone its NWC meeting.

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The newspaper quoted a source as saying:

“There is no need for an NWC meeting at this time. The meeting will be held next week.

Another senior PDP NWC member explained:

"If we had met today (Wednesday, September 4), we would have discussed the Rivers and other states’ congresses.

"The NWC needs to approve everything. Pressure from Wike and from governors to the entire NWC led them to delay the meeting to buy time. Wike’s faction is in the majority."

Wike vs Fubara: Expert suggests way out

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a political analyst, Segun Akinleye, explained "the chains of illegality sweeping over Rivers state".

Akinleye, in an interview with Legit.ng, asserted that the present political crisis in the prominent south-south state is "a result of 2023 where Wike showed that 'anything goes'".

Source: Legit.ng