•Calls for Bayelsa gov’s resignation from party
Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has rejected the offer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership to intervene in the conflict between him and the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, over the Soku Oil Wells/fields returned to Rivers State by a Federal High Court.
In an interview in Port Harcourt, River State capital, yesterday, Wike said there was no premise for the intervention by the PDP leadership, since the Federal High Court had already determined the issue in question.
He said: “I don’t know why they are interceding. They have no power to resolve the issue of oil wells.
Secondly, the matter has been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Anybody who is not satisfied should go on appeal. Are they interceding on behalf of someone who betrayed the party?
“They know that Governor Dickson betrayed and sold out the party. They know that during the 2019 election in Rivers State, what happened in the state. That Dickson worked with my opponent.
“Throughout that period, the National Chairman himself knows, that people were calling from all over the country to know the situation. Dickson never called one day.
“This was because of his alignment with the opposition. I can show proof that Dickson had already made up his mind to go over to APC.
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“I am not going to sit down with anybody to discuss anything as it relates to Governor Dickson. I have no business with Governor Dickson.”
Wike said that the right thing for Dickson to do is to resign from the PDP, so that PDP leaders in Bayelsa State can rebuild the party.
“In fact, Governor Dickson ought to have resigned from the party by now so that the leaders of PDP in Bayelsa would rebuild the party.
“The national leadership of the party should know that the only option left for PDP to be strong in Bayelsa is for Dickson to leave the party,” he said.
The governor said the party’s intervention is no longer profitable in view of the incalculable damage done by the Bayelsa State Governor.
He said: “Where was the party when Dickson sold out? Why couldn’t they come out to speak out? Governor Dickson, you have killed our party in that State. What is anyone wading in for? I am not going to be party to that and nobody will stop me .
“Nobody fights Rivers State and gets any benefits out of it. I have said it severally. I am not here because of my interest. I am here because of the interest of Rivers State.
“The party would have waded in when they saw fraud. That Dickson was killing the party in Bayelsa State. He has achieved his aim by making sure nobody comes after him as he leaves office in February, 2020.
“Do you know the effect of APC winning Bayelsa State? And they are talking of wading in.”
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“We recognise how sensitive this issue is to both governors but as a party, we will not sit back and allow them to continue like that. There must be control.
“The PDP has therefore asked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, whom both Governor Wike and Governor Dickson have respect for to intervene.
“He has met the two governors and there is progress. The two governors are from the PDP and we as a party will ensure peace as quarrel between them will not augur peace for PDP,” Secondus said.
Wike had earlier rejected the offer by the PDP leadership to intervene in the conflict with Dickson over the Soku oil wells returned to Rivers State by the Federal High Court.
Wike had said there was no premise for the intervention by the PDP leadership since the Federal High Court had already determined the issue in question.
He said: “I don’t know why they are interceding. They have no power to resolve the issue of oil wells. Secondly, the matter has been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Anybody who is not satisfied should go on appeal. Are they interceding on behalf of someone who betrayed the party?
“They know that Governor Dickson betrayed and sold out the party. They know that during the 2019 election in Rivers State, what happened in the state. That Dickson worked with my opponent.
“Throughout that period, the national chairman himself knows that people were calling from all over the country to know the situation. Dickson never called one day.
“This was because of his alignment with the opposition. I can show proof that Dickson had already made up his mind to go over to APC.”
PDP BoT Sets up Committee to Resolve Feud
PDP BoT chairman, Jibrin, also told THISDAY that the trustees were also intervening in the feud to avoid it from escalating.
He said: “The elders don’t stay at home and their children fight at home. The BoT has set up a committee, which I am heading. We will meet Governor Wike and Governor Dickson and find good resolutions to the crisis, at least in the overall interest of PDP.
“We as the custodian and elders of the party will try to bring both governors to a round table discussion for the peace of the two states. I am heading the committee.”
Jibrin, at a news conference yesterday in Kaduna, also stressed the need for peace in PDP.
He decried the wrangling in the PDP, saying there is need to unite members of the party across the states ahead of the 2023 general election.
“The PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) is making necessary arrangements to reconcile the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike and Governor Dickson Seriake of Bayelsa State and indeed all the party members in order to unite the party with a view to taking over government from the ruling party in 2023.
“The disunity among the PDP governors demand urgent intervention by the party and its highest advisory body, the BoT, which is ready to remain neutral all the time,” he stated.
Jibrin explained that such intervention will start immediately with the two governors with special visits to them.
He said the board would also visit all the PDP governors in order to give them encouragement in their states’ development activities.
According to him, the BoT Committee on Peace and Conflict, has been directed to visit Edo, Kano, Osun, Bayelsa and other states, where there are conflicts with a view to reconcile party members.
“We should focus on politics of issues and constructive engagement.
“All we need now, is consultations and dialogue in solving our problems and not dismissals or suspensions.
“All members must respect the dignity and supremacy of the party. Reconciliation should continue in the units, wards, local governments, states and nationally.
“Another board committee has been directed to work on why we lost the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states” Jibrin said.
He added that the BoT will adopt best strategies to work with the National Working Committee (NWC) to ensure success.
“Consultation among us should be the key point. Myself and the national chairman of the party will soon meet to work out the strategies,” he stated.
The party BoT chairman added that the main opposition party has also concluded plans to embark on nationwide consultations among its members to see how to produce a consensual presidential candidate for the next general election.
“On the presidential candidate, the National Working Committee (NWC), in consultation with all relevant organs, will reveal the plan for coming up with our presidential candidate, he added.
“I don’t think there is anything wrong to allow anybody from any zone to show interest, but our collective decision will bring out an agreeable candidate.
“Meanwhile, what is there in our front is for us to work hard to unite the party by making it strongest and unbeatable in the next presidential election,” he explained.