From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dispelled speculations about a possible extension of the six-month emergency rule declared in Rivers State, assuring that President Bola Tinubu has no such intention.
Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Monday, Wike described the rumours as baseless and reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to restoring democratic governance in the oil-rich state.
“From my understanding, the President does not want to extend the emergency rule in Rivers State,” he said.
President Tinubu had declared the emergency on March 18, 2025, amid escalating political tensions and a breakdown of law and order in the state.
Wike also asserted that the Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral (rtd) Ibok-Ete Ibas, holds the constitutional authority to conduct local government elections, stressing the need to return democratic leadership to the grassroots.
On the internal wrangling within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wike alleged that he and other party stakeholders resisted pressure to install former Senate President, David Mark, as PDP National Chairman.
“Let me tell you something — when we started having issues over the National Chairmanship in the North-Central, there was pressure for David Mark to be made Chairman of the PDP. We refused,” he stated.
Pressed on why Mark was opposed, despite his political pedigree, Wike replied, “Why not? What good will he bring to the party?”
Mark has recently emerged as the interim National Chairman of the new opposition coalition, the African Democratic Congress (ADC). But Wike questioned his record in public service.
He said, “He was Senate President for eight years. What improvement did he bring? Holding a position is not enough. What did he do with it?”
Wike declared support for younger reform-minded politicians rather than career politicians with little to show for their time in office.
“I’d rather support someone who has held no position but comes with a clear vision for change. I won’t support people who had the chance to make a difference and didn’t,” he said.
Addressing the lingering PDP crisis, Wike insisted that reconciliation would remain elusive until the party recognises the outcome of the South-South zonal congress held in Calabar.
THISAGE recalls that a faction of the PDP in the South-South zone re-elected Dan Orbih, a Wike loyalist, as its chairman in February 2025 — a move rejected by PDP’s acting national chairman, Umar Damagum.
“The Calabar congress must be upheld. There are no two ways about it,” Wike insisted.
He accused Damagum of undermining the process by notifying the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) days after the congress had already taken place.
He said, “Our congress was held on Saturday. Then, three days later, the acting national chairman writes to INEC saying the congress has been postponed. What kind of joke is that?”
He warned that any attempt to override the outcome of the Calabar congress would plunge the party into deeper turmoil.
Wike also dismissed reports suggesting he planned to dump the PDP.
“I will not leave the PDP — the party I have worked hard for — to the buccaneers and vampires. If I had left, they would have stayed behind to collect tickets,” he said.
