Ken Okolugbo, former Commissioner of the Delta Oil Producing Area Development Commission, spoke with ARISE TV about the rejection of Tinubu’s peace proposal by elders in Rivers State. He emphasized the shifts within the PDP and highlighted the internal conflicts within the party…….CONTINUE READING>>>>>>
Okolugbo emphasized a significant error in neglecting the southern region during the presidential elections, leading to internal discord within the party. He expressed concern about the lack of unified leadership in the PDP, pointing out the departure of key party backers and the absence of a formidable advocate similar to Wike in the current circumstances. Additionally, he raised apprehensions about the party’s failure to support its members, citing the disregard for Fubara, the Deputy Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, as a telling instance.
Okolugbo questioned the feasibility of imposing disciplinary measures on Wike, pointing out the party’s challenges, such as members switching to the ruling party in Rivers State and facing difficulties in achieving the required 25% vote threshold in certain regions. Ultimately, he concluded that Wike’s conduct underscored his influence within the party.
During the interview, he expressed that the PDP has undergone noticeable changes. The initial significant error, according to him, was the party’s failure to engage with the southern region during the presidential elections, leading to internal discord. He emphasized that the Supreme Court’s definition of division doesn’t align with the current situation. Despite this, he acknowledged the party’s crisis, citing five governors openly admitting to opposing him and endorsing a southern President.
Speaking further, Some of us who have been so vocal for the party left the party, and at the end of the day, nobody’s really speaking for the party except for one person amongst all of us who used to speak for the party. Now, do you have Wike among the PDP governors? If it was in the past, you have Wike who will be taking on this kind of matter, and Fubara will go and sleep. Fubara is the deputy chairman of the PDP governor’s forum. We did not even see Ido Idiri go and visit Fubara, just his next-door neighbour. At least felicitate with him and give him that needed backup, if you say Fubara is not speaking to the PDP.
Now you have the man coming to tell us that we are going to discipline Wike. How are you going to discipline Wike? Do you say you are going to discipline somebody who has told you about his own position? What can be worse than taking the 27 members off your party and encouraging them to go to the ruling party in a state where you have always held office? What can be worse than the fact that Atiku didn’t make 25%? I hope people don’t know that they didn’t get 25% of the votes in Rivers, where the PDP has always won. Overwhelmingly. What are you waiting for if you want to discipline Wike? Wike has only shown that he is larger than the party, and that’s the absolute truth.”…….CONTINUE READING>>>>>>
