- Say Fubara is leader of PDP in Rivers
- Predict 1983 scenario in 2027
- Urge those in ‘IDP’ in Abuja to return home development
A former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Uche Secondus and members of the Presidential Campaign Council of the party for the 2023 general elections in Rivers State have declared absolute loyalty and support for President Bola Tinubu and the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
A former Minister of Transportation and the Director-General, PDP-PCC Rivers State, Abiye Sekibo, made the declaration during a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
Present at the briefing were Secondus, a former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara; Celestine Omehia, former deputy governor of the state, Tele Ikuru, Senator Lee Maeba and a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Gabriel Pidomson, among others.
The council supported the PDP presidential candidate in 2023, Atiku Abubakar, in the last elections.
While addressing the party members, Secondus said at the meeting that Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State is the leader of the party in the state and should control the party’s structure 100 percent.
He said, “Governor Fubara has 100 per cent of the party structure in Rivers State. One thing I know is that the governor is the leader of the party, and the governor is in control 100 per cent.
“When I was the national chairman, I gave all my governors 100 percent control of their party structure in their states. It cannot be otherwise. Governor Fubara will have 100 percent control of the party structure.”
Secondus said, “Yes, the party in the state, because of the last election, some believes in the loyalty of the party to remain. But some others left the party to do anti-party. And we are aware of those who are involved.
“I want to assure you that in the interest of our state that everybody, the governor has said so several times for the interest of the state, we must forgive our brothers at the unit level, at the Ward level and also at the local government level and bring everybody together.”
He emphasized that Fubara has said that everyone must come together without discrimination, saying, “What is important is the interest of the state.
“So we want to plead with you, you are leaders, some of you are former local government chairmen, former party chairmen, you are leaders in your own right in your various local governments. Please work with others.
“No bitterness, nothing should stop you from working with everyone in your locality. I believe that there will also be a process. A message not too long will come to you about how the meetings and other things will follow.
“I also believe that there is a time when the governor will see everybody. Even if there are people who left APC, we should open our hands wide to receive them because the more we are, the merrier and the unity of Rivers State is very important. Against those who are in Abuja and I can see a scenario playing out here. In 1983, there were some powerful people in Lagos, and they wanted to hijack the state.
“That scenario is likely to replay, as we can see. But because the grassroots leaders like you were solid behind Chief Melford Okilo and made it so difficult for the people from Lagos to come and hijack. It is going to happen the same way if they don’t repent.”
Secondus said the only person who can give orders and they would take is the governor.
He added “It may be a temporary setback at the centre, but today, as you can see, even the ruling party, APC at the centre, are in one problem or the other.
“We believe that if we come together and I’m quite sure all the other people in other political parties will join us, we will return our governor in 2027 which is the aim of those who are in what I will call IDP. They are now in IDP in Abuja. We are back home. We are solid on the ground.
“Our supporters are ready, and we are waiting for them. They cannot take over this state (Rivers). This state is too strong, those who tried it before in 1983 couldn’t.”
