Wike’s Camp Breaks Silence—‘We Won’t Fight Physically’ After Fubara Swears In Council Chairmen

Wike’s Camp Breaks Silence—‘We Won’t Fight Physically’ After Fubara Swears In Council Chairmen

The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), loyal to the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has rejected the recently concluded local government election, labeling the process a “futile exercise.” The faction has vowed to challenge the election results in court.

The local council election, held on Saturday, saw the Action Peoples Party (APP) winning 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions, while the Action Alliance (AA) secured one. Additionally, the APP claimed victory in 314 out of 319 councillorship seats across the 23 local government areas (LGAs) of Rivers State.

Following the election, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara swore in the newly elected council chairmen on Sunday. It is understood that after losing control of the PDP to Wike, Fubara’s supporters shifted their allegiance to the APP.

Speaking on the matter, PDP Publicity Secretary Kenneth Yowika expressed the party’s intention to take legal action, stating, “We are moving forward with a court case to ensure justice is served. Therefore, we do not acknowledge or recognize any swearing-in ceremony taking place today (Sunday) or tomorrow (Monday).”

Yowika emphasized that the party had long maintained that the election was illegal, citing a Federal High Court ruling by Justice Peter Lifu, which prohibited the conduct of the council election. He stressed that the state government’s decision to proceed with the election was a violation of that judgment.

“From the onset, everything about this election is illegal. The Federal High Court’s judgment clearly barred the election, and we have consistently said that any action taken in defiance of that ruling would be futile,” Yowika remarked.

He reiterated the party’s stance on adhering to the rule of law, stating, “We are a law-abiding party. We will not engage in physical confrontation. We peacefully protested on Saturday to demonstrate that there was no legitimate election, and we stand by that decision.”

Yowika further criticized the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission for its role in the process, asserting that there was clear evidence that the election did not take place as claimed. He reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to upholding the Federal High Court’s ruling, dismissing the election results as a “charade” and unacceptable to the party.

“We remain steadfast in our position. The so-called election is not recognized by the Peoples Democratic Party, and we will continue to seek justice through legal channels,” he concluded.