Violent at PDP Reconciliation Meeting over Wike's Supporters

The ongoing integration and reconciliation of aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State almost turned bloody yesterday as suspected thugs descended on stakeholders from the state who were protesting the non-recognition of zoning and rotation of the office of the governor in the state.

Thugs who were allegedly “imported” by the Minister of State for Education, Nyeson Wike, attacked other stakeholders who came to present their grievances with the party in the state.

In the ensuing melee, journalists and television cameramen were abused and their cameras vandalised, as policemen at the venue of the reconciliation and integration meeting looked away.

But the police became active when the protesting opposition members of PDP mobilised with broken bottles.

The situation at the Legacy House Presidential Campaign Office of the party became rowdy when Wike engaged in fisticuffs with one of the stakeholder, Chief Lolo Ibeneye, who was a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the Peter Odili administration in the state.

Confirming the attack on him by Wike, Ibineneye expressed shock at the incident, stating that if this type of thing could happen in Abuja, then “you imagine what would have happened in Port Harcourt.”

Another victim, Chief Adams Sara Egbe from Aku Local Government Area, who was also allegedly manhandled, decried the marginalisation of other ethnic groups in the state, threatening that unless the riverine communities are allowed to present the next governor of the state, the PDP will fail in the governorship election in 2015.

He urged President Goodluck Jonathan to “listen to us or PDP will fail in Rivers State.

The party recognises zoning from the wards up to the local governments and the states level. Our grouse is that they are violating the party constitution.

“They went through illegal means and brought a two-man executive, and ever since they came, they violated the party constitution.  The party recognises zoning and rotation of elective offices as contained in the PDP constitution under Article 7 Sections 3(c).

Other riverine communities complained that Odili from the upland ruled the state for eight years and the state Governor Chibuike Amaechi, would be completing eight years in office as governor, hence, they argued that this was the turn of the riverine communities to produce the next governor.

“In my presence, Prof Owhete was beaten and thrown out by suspected thugs, Lolo Ibeneye was beaten and thrown out by Wike. I saw it with my two eyes,” said Dr. Innocent Ekpu, who claimed to be a senior politician and a member of PDP.

One of the stakeholders who was not spared was Tagbo Tamuno Dick, a lawyer, as he was allegedly beaten.

Later, the protesting stakeholders marched to the Wadata Plaza of PDP in Wuse Zone 5, where they were addressed by the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh.

Metuh assured the protesting PDP stakeholders that the party leadership would not allow the imposition of candidates on members in any state of the federation.

The PDP spokesman maintained that the party members would be given the opportunity to elect and nominate aspirants of their choice who would eventually become the party`s candidates for elections in 2015.

According to Metuh, “We are promising you that that is what will happen in Rivers  State and every single state of the federation. Our party is against consensus candidate and any idea of intimidating the people. There should be no intimidation and coercion.”

The PDP national publicity secretary, while urging the protesters to remain calm, maintained that the party would continue to uphold true democratic tenets and principles in its nomination processes.

However, he advised the youths to ensure they motivated and mobilised their people come out to vote for their candidates in the 2015 general election.

One of the protesting stakeholders, Oni Quakers, from Kalabari land who spoke on behalf of the youths, said they were protesting the imposition of Ikwere indigenes on the people as the state next governor. He stressed that Ikweres had governed the state for 16 years, adding that it was time for the Ijaws to governed the state.

When contacted, Wike in a brief telephone interview denied sponsoring thugs to disrupt the committee’s proceedings, even as he also denied beating anyone.

He said: “Nobody attacked anybody. The meeting was peaceful. Everyone who had something to present was allowed to make his presentation. How could I have prevented them from presenting their memoranda. They said I beat somebody? How can I do that?”

Also, a member of the integration committee and the National Vice-Chairman of PDP for the South-south, Dr. Cario Ojougboh, expressed ignorance of the riotous situation at the Legacy House, stating that everything went on well.

However, he was nearly manhandled by the thugs, until he introduced himself as the national vice-chairman of the party for the zone.

Meanwhile, due to the controversies generated by the endorsement and adoption of candidates by state governors in the PDP-controlled states as their successors, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party at its meeting yesterday such moves.

The party leadership said the endorsements and adoptions were contrary to the warnings from the national leadership that the governors as unbiased umpires should not involved in such.A statement by the NWC strongly frowned on this development, warning that it would not hesitate to sanction such erring officers or chapters.

According to the statement signed by the National Secretary, Prof Wale Oladipo, the PDP said: “The sanctity of our nomination processes must be protected at all times. We therefore wish to assure all party members that there shall be a  level-playing ground for all aspirants intending to participate in the nomination processes.

“Consequently, the NWC will not hesitate to protect any of our members  who in any way stands to be shortchanged, cheated or victimised by such  endorsements.

“The NWC charges all our members and supporters therefore to disregard  all such endorsements as the PDP will conduct primaries to duly elect our flag bearers in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act and  the constitution of our great party,” the national secretary said.

Credit: THISDAY