Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State have declared that they will not participate in the party’s national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, blaming unresolved national leadership disputes for their decision.
Their stance was outlined in a statement jointly signed by several state executive members and local government chairpersons, including Kingsley Waite, Tombari Sydney Gbara, Victor Pepple, Otamiri John Ngubo and Ejekwu Princewill.
According to the signatories, the PDP is embroiled in a national leadership crisis that has fractured state chapters and created uncertainty across the party. They said the wave of lawsuits and counter-suits had only “further deepened the crisis in the party.”
The PDP’s 2025 elective national convention has been overshadowed by conflicting court rulings. An Oyo High Court recently authorised the party to continue preparations, while a High Court in Abuja suspended the convention and instructed INEC not to recognise it.
Shortly after, a faction led by Sam Anyanwu claimed the event had been postponed, a claim swiftly rejected by the Umar Damagum-led leadership.
Despite the legal tussle, preparations are underway at the Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan.
The group also accused the national leadership of sidelining Rivers stakeholders and Governor Siminalayi Fubara. They said, “There was no proper communication channel between the national leadership of the party and our leader, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara GSSRS, governor of Rivers State, which has consequently left us incommunicado.”
They further complained that their names and photographs were used in the convention brochure without their consent. “We were neither consulted, nor was approval sought and obtained, before our names and photographs appeared in the brochure of the proposed Ibadan national convention of the party,” the statement said.
Citing these issues, the Rivers PDP leaders unanimously agreed to stay away from the event. “In view of the above, we therefore unanimously resolved not to participate in the forthcoming national convention scheduled to hold on the 15th to 16th of November 2025 at Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria,” they stated.
They reaffirmed their loyalty to Governor Fubara, describing him as the undisputed leader of the party in the state.
