The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has met with the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, and other members of the party’s National Working Committee in Port Harcourt on Saturday where party issues were discussed.
The Secondus team was in the state to attend the funeral of the governor’s late uncle, Chief Ihunwo Wike, who died at the age of 87.
He was until his demise, the Eze Epara Kwurume Chukwuokahia Obasinwo IV of Rumuepirikom Clan in Apara kingdom of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State.
Sources at the meeting disclosed that Wike insisted that he would remain a committed member of PDP, making it clear that he had nothing against any member of its NWC.
The source said, “The governor said he had no problem with either Secondus or any member of the NWC, insisting that he would never join any other political party apart from the PDP.
“He also told the team that he remained a friend and brother to the party’s national chairman but that sometimes he needed to criticise the NWC in order to make its members sit up and work towards getting power in 2023.”
Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Saturday, also said those present at the funeral were former governors of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili and Sir Celestine Omehia and a former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha.
Others dignitaries in attendance included former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sir Austin Opara; Senator Sam Anyanwu, South-South zonal chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih; Chairman of the PDP in Rivers State, Desmond Akawor; Chairman of Rivers Elders Council, High Chief Ferdinand Alabraba; Senator Barry Mpigi and several others.
Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, has explained that the audit query raised recently by the National Auditor of the PDP, Adamu Mustapha, has been addressed by both the NWC and the party’s National Executive Committee.
Ologbondiyan said, “These issues have been addressed. The auditor himself addressed the media and made clarifications. It is clear that the queries have been answered satisfactorily because it is clear that approvals were sought from both the National Working CNWS and the NEC before anything was done.
“The PDP is one and it will amount to building a mountain out of a mole hill over a matter that has been dealt with. Our national chairman leads a transparent team that is accountable to party members. There was no allegation of financial impropriety anywhere.”
Mustapha had alleged that his office was not carried along in the running of the party, and its financial transactions.
