Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, a House of Representatives member representing the Ideato North South Federal Constituency, has criticized the recent activities in Rivers State, asserting that no legitimate Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Congress took place.
Ugochinyere accused the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, of holding a private gathering under the guise of a party congress.
The lawmaker’s comments come after a series of PDP state congresses were held across the country, including Rivers, Benue, Katsina, and Kogi. These congresses have been marred by widespread complaints, with Rivers being particularly contentious due to a court order prohibiting the process.
Despite this, a congress was reportedly held in Rivers, which has led to a standoff between the National Working Committee (NWC) and the PDP Governors Forum. The latter insists that Governor Siminalayi Fubara remains the rightful leader of the PDP in Rivers State.
In a statement released on Saturday, Ugochinyere expressed his disdain for the event organized by Wike’s faction, calling it a “jamboree.”
According to him, “there is no PDP state Congress yet in Rivers state.”
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He further remarked, “Wike, out of desperation to look good before his dwindling followers who are losing confidence in him, held an owambe party and called it state Congress.”
The lawmaker recalled the interim court order, which in July halted the conduct of any PDP congresses in Rivers State. The order was issued by Justice Charles Wali of the Port Harcourt State High Court, effectively preventing any official party gatherings.
Ugochinyere argued that Wike’s event was in direct violation of this ruling, stating, “if people out of desperation gather to hold a family or kindred meeting from their hideout under the guise of Congress, you can only but pity and laugh at their political frolicking caused by joblessness and desperate quest for power.”
He further criticized some PDP members, claiming they collaborated with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to push their faction’s agenda.
He dismissed the entire event, adding, “The purported Congress is a nullity and an exercise in futility as there is still an existing valid order against any conduct of Congress in Rivers, and in view of that, the purported Congress will be set aside as you can’t put something on nothing.”
