By Godwin Chukwumaechi, Port Harcourt
The new acting State Executive Council (SEC) of the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has explained that the presence of security personnel at the party headquarters along Aba Express Road is to ensure security at the secretariat.
At a press conference on Thursday in Port Harcourt, the acting Chairman of the Rivers State PDP, Hon. Robinson Nname Ewor said the development followed the sacking of the Chukwuemeka Aaron-led executive alongside the Ward and Local Government Executive Committees of the Party by a Port Harcourt High Court on the 13th of January.
He explained that the security agencies acting on the awareness of the court judgment and the taking over of the party by a new set of executives in acting capacity security agencies “are currently at the party secretariat to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order”.
He added that the original State Executive Committee of the party, whose tenure ended in June/July 2024, has, in a well-publicized press conference held on January 15, 2025, assumed leadership of the Party in an acting capacity.
According to him, the sacking Chukwuemeka Aaron-led State Executive Committee by the High Court, was because the “Congresses that produced Aaron Chukwuemeka were in contravention of a High Court order directing that no Congresses be held in the state until the substantive issues are resolved”.
“Following this The State Executive Committee is now being led by me, High Chief Name Robinson Ewor, Ph.D., as Acting Chairman, and Dr. Field Nkor as Acting Secretary, alongside other members”, he declared.
Hon. Ewor added; “We are pleased to inform you that a copy of the judgment has been duly transmitted to the Party’s National Secretariat, and our assumption of office as Acting State and Local Government Executives has been communicated while we await further developments.
“In a very recent development, security agencies, aware of our position to reclaim the Party Secretariat, have advised that we halt the process to maintain peace”.
He stated that in line with the peaceful disposition of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, to issues of related nature, which has earned him several accolades, that his team decided to call off the planned takeover of the PDP State Secretariat today appealing to supporters of the party to remain calm as they take necessary steps to assume control of the party secretariat.
He declared; “Under our leadership, we shall immediately commence steps toward healing and rebuilding our once-great Party, which was battered, with hope lost across the State, 23 Local Government Areas, and 319 electoral wards. We shall make the PDP Rivers State Chapter great again.
“To achieve this, we shall consult all critical stakeholders of the Party, unite members, and work with them to restore the already lost hope. We shall embark on a sensitization tour across the 23 LGAs and initiate a membership drive to boost the Party’s population for future elections.
“In the coming days, we shall also set up a disciplinary committee to address issues of anti-party activities, particularly during the 2023 General Elections and beyond, and any other activities by members that could bring the Party into disrepute.
Those found wanting shall be appropriately disciplined, including but not limited to suspension, dismissal, and sanctions recognized by the Party.
“The party is supreme, and we shall uphold its supremacy. We shall implement the Party Manifesto and Constitution. We shall work with the national leadership of our great Party, including all its organs at various levels, as well as all critical stakeholders of the party in the state and across the country.
“By doing so, we can assure and reassure Nigerians that the PDP is a viable alternative to the APC, which, in the last nine years, has made life extremely difficult for Nigerian citizens with rising insecurity, infrastructure deficits, unequal exchange rates, high petroleum product costs, and more”.
He called on the national leadership of the party to fully restore the leadership of the party in the state to Gov. Fubara, as is the convention in the party.
“We also call on the National Leadership to work with the new leadership of the Party at the State, LGA, and Ward levels.
By doing this, they can be assured of the continued existence, survival, and growth of the Party in the State. On our part, we shall uphold the Party Constitution, respect, and carry out all lawful directives from the National Body and the Leader of the Party in the state”, Hon Ewor stressed.
