By Folarunsho Alagbede
The internal wrangling plaguing the National Working Committee, (NWC), of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has resurfaced amid the latest court judgement affirming the Governor Similaye Fubara faction of the party’s Rivers State executive as authentic.
It would be recalled that the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, on Thursday issued a statement declaring the NWC’s acceptance of the court verdict, which affirmed the Ewor-led Rivers State Exco.
“The NWC acknowledges receipt, considered, and hereby accepts the judgment of the Rivers State High Court, which in Suit No. PHC/2301/CS/2024 nullified the Ward, Local Government and State Congresses of our party in Rivers State conducted on July 27, August 10, and August 31, 2024, respectively.
“Consequently, in line with the judgement of the Court delivered on Monday, January 13, 2025, the NWC affirms the Nname Robinson Ewor-led Rivers State Executive to henceforth pilot the affairs of the PDP Rivers State Chapter in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017),” Ologunagba said.
He also extended the commendation of the NWC to the court for reaffirming what he called the famed position of the PDP as the bastion of transparency in the due process of internal democracy and strict adherence to the Rule of Law and Party Guidelines in the conduct of Congresses and other activities.
Barely a day later, the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, acting on the instructions of the party’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum issued a disclaimer.
According to Abdullahi, opinions expressed by Ologunagba in the said statement were a figment of his imagination and did not represent the position of the NWC.
“The NWC did not accept the judgment in River State, recognising the EWO-led ex-co. That’s not true. The NWC has not sat since September last year. This is subject to your verification.
“And so I wonder where he will now say the NWC sat and adopted wholly, or accepted the verdict, recognising the EWO-led state ex-co in River State.
“Not only that, only recently, he spoke about the judgment in Imo State, wherein a court, you know, affirmed the expulsion of Imo Ugochinyere from the PDP,” Abdullahi said.
Abdullahi pointed out that, unlike Ologunagba, his statements and press conferences are always guided by instructions of the party leadership under the leadership of Amb. Damagum.
