PDP Has Not Abandoned Fubara, Says Party Chieftain

Osuoha criticized the former National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, for claiming that the party had abandoned Governor Fubara. This assertion came amid an impeachment process initiated against Fubara by 25 legislators allied with his predecessor and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

In a recent interview, Ologbondiyan suggested that Governor Fubara felt deserted by the PDP, noting that the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had not visited him during his campaign.

However, Osuoha refuted these claims in an interview with Vanguard, stating, “The burden of proof rests upon him (Ologbondiyan).

How can he say PDP abandoned a candidate they sponsored and he became a Governor? The party did not abandon anybody. The party has about 13 Governors and they are all coming around, and they relate well with all the organs of the party. He is our state governor.

We cannot abandon him unless he does anything to the contrary. The party will not abandon him just as a parent will not abandon his child.”

Osuoha also recalled that Senator Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), recently expressed the party’s stance on the political crisis in Rivers State, stating, “PDP will not accept any state of emergency in Rivers State.” Wabara had urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resist pressure from “troublemakers” to declare a state of emergency and called for the withdrawal of police officers barricading the Council headquarters after the tenure of the former Council Chairmen expired.

Osuoha emphasized that the party’s position, as articulated by Wabara, remains unchanged, stressing the importance of upholding the rule of law and allowing Governor Fubara to govern the state. “Recently, our BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, spoke up, and I totally adopted his position. We are in a democracy and democracy thrives by the rule of law.

PDP won’t accept any declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State. Our BoT Chairman will also visit him soon. What’s playing out in Rivers is that they are desecrating our democracy. It’s a matter of interest. For example, the expiration of the tenure of Local Government Chairmen is provided for in the law. And if the tenure of the Chairmen expires, there is no tenure elongation.

The Governor is the Chief Executive Officer of the state, and he is in charge of the state. So, if he decides in the interim, to appoint a caretaker committee to hold forth, is that the reason any person should call for a declaration of a state of emergency? Those people calling for a state of emergency in Rivers should be investigated.

Who are those behind the troubles in that environment? Could it be they want to use it as an excuse to call for a state of emergency so that everywhere will come to a standstill? That’s not proper! There should be no state of emergency in Rivers.

They should obey the law. Let there be peace in Rivers State. The Governor is the Governor of the state with Executive powers. He should be allowed to bring development and dividends of democracy to the people. What’s playing out there is all about people’s interest.”

Osuoha also noted that elected political officeholders should maintain good relations with their party leadership and its organs. “No parents can abandon their child, but that child should be responsible and play along. A governor is supposed to align well with the party and always relate with the party Chairman and all the organs of the party, sponsoring the party because the party is not a limited liability company.

It’s an association. People sponsor the party, that’s why they are called stakeholders. So, you play along with the party because it gives you the platform to become Governor. There is no individual candidate in Nigeria yet. Everything revolves around the party,” he added.