Justice Stephen Jumbo, the court’s presiding judge, further nullified the PDP congresses held in the state in July 2024 at the ward, local, and state government levels.
Rivers: Court nullified APC congresses
This came one month after another High Court nullified the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s election wards, locals, and state government congresses in the state. The APC election produced Chief Tony Okocha as its Rivers chairman.
The court’s judgment followed the battle on the legitimacy of the PDP congresses, in which a faction of the party conducted. The faction was said to be loyalists of Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
On July 20, 2024, Justice Charles Wali of the Rivers State High Court ordered the PDP to restrain from going ahead with the ward, local and state congresses.
When did the Rivers crisis start?
Rivers state was in crisis soon after Governor Siminalayi Fubara resumed office. The governor had been at loggerheads with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who was instrumental in his emergence as governor.
Wike has alleged that Governor Fubara was tampering with the PDP structure and outsmarted the governor during the party’s ward, local and state government congresses.
The FCT minister has not been finding it easy at home since his battle with the governor started. His trouble became compounded with former Governor Peter Odili throwing his weight behind Governor Fubara.
Rivers: Odili knocked Wike, praised Fubara
Odili praised the governor on many occasions for stopping Wike from turning the state into his asset, a comment the FCT minister had fired back at. According to Wike, Odili would soon choose a wife for Fubara, adding that he already had many children in the current government.
While Wike faced stiff opposition at home, the presidency and some APC governors have praised him. President Bola Tinubu described him as a performing minister in his maiden media chat.
Governor Fubara approved N100k Christmas bonus
Legit.ng earlier reported that Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state has approved an N100,000 Christmas bonus for civil servants, public servants and pensioners in the state.
Fubara was said to have made to move so that the beneficiaries could have a fulfilling Yuletide celebration in their homes.
This gesture will be Governor Fubara’s second of its kind, considering he started in 2023.