Wike Wins as NWC Approves Congress of Faction Loyal to Him, Fubara in the Lurch 

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has won again as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approved the contentious Rivers State congresses from wards to the local governments and the state.

With the current state of play, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has no control over the party in the state.

Although matter is still a subject of litigation because a Rivers State court had restrained the PDP from holding the congresses in the state.  
Also, the NWC might have tentatively shifted the next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party from September 26 to October 26.
These were some of the outcomes of the NWC meeting presided over by the acting national chairman of the PDP, Amb Iliya Damagum.

At their meeting two weeks ago in Jalingo, Taraba State, the PDP governors directed the NWC to ensure that all the congresses in Rivers State should be handed over to the Rivers State governor, Fubara

But Wike threatened any PDP governor, who interferes in the political affairs of Rivers State, warning that he would make their states ungovernable.
In response, the PDP governors, in a statement by the Director General of the forum, chided Wike, stating that his utterances were unacceptable and reckless.

The PDP governors renewed their directive to ensure that all the structures were returned to Fubara.

But at their NWC meeting of yesterday, the Damagum-led party approved the congresses in Rivers State
Though there were some opposition from the National Legal Adviser, of the party, Adeyemi Ajibade, that it was not fair to recognise the Rivers State congresses alone as there were some legal challenges that were yet to be resolved
He was overruled by the NWC.

There were some states included in congresses like in Abia and Ebonyi, the NWC ruled that they be concluded before the next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

The NEC meeting was therefore moved from September 26 to October 26.

With a shift in the NEC meeting, all the congresses would be ratified at the October meeting and subsequently, a new national chairman might emerge.
With this development, there were indications that Fubara might hasten his plans to move to the Alliance Peoples Party (APP).