Rivers Crisis: PDP State Chairman Pledges Loyalty To Damagum

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Chukwuemeka Aaron has dismissed critics and reaffirmed his legitimacy as the party’s leader.

Aaron, in an interview with a popular radio station, Nigeria Info 92.3fm, monitored by THE WHISTLER on Monday, emphasized that his election was ratified by the National Working Committee, with a unanimous 17-0 vote of confidence.

The clarification came following lingering Court orders and counter-court orders, He noted that 3,071 delegates voted for him, comprising statutory and ad-hoc delegates, not family members or villagers.

“I bought my form, I contested, and I won.The PDP Secretariat was open for the sale of forms. Those who purchased forms contested their elections and won.

“Several attempts have been made and will still be made to bring peace to PDP in the state,” he said.

He added: “On Friday 13th September 2024, All 17 Members of the National Working Committee approved my election and okayed the Electioneering process that led to my Emergence.

“They passed a vote of confidence on the report from the Electoral Committee, INEC and security Agencies 3,071 delegates voted for me, the people that voted for me are not from my Family, they are not from my Village, they were all delegates, they were all statutory and ad-hoc Delegates, 17/17 voted for me.”

Aaron who emphasized loyalty said “Ambassador Desmond Akawor is my former boss, wherever I see him, I stand up and say, ‘Oga you’re welcome. Whenever I need advice, I meet him.
You cannot do it alone. No one does it alone.”

The PDP Chairman also revealed that some individuals are plotting to discredit him and the former Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, aiming to undermine the party’s stability.

He accused them of desperation, seeking to exploit the Orashi region’s oil resources for personal gain.

He said: “Another group as I speak to you now, are writing names of those that will go to Villa to tell the President that Oando has oil wells in the Orashi region and if this does not stop, their oil installations will be adversely affected.

“You can imagine the level of Desperation. All they want is that Wike will removed, if they remove Wike, Will they put them?”

Aaron expressed respect for elder statesmen Rufus Ada George and Sen Andrew Uchendu but questioned their involvement in PDP’s internal affairs, as they are not party members.

“Our revered Elder statemen whom I have so much respect for, Rufus Ada George and Sen Andrew Uchendu are not members of our party yet they held a Press conference with the President asking him to intervene in the congresses of our Party.

“They are not members of our party neither did they participate in the processes yet they want to have a say,” he queried.

He emphasized loyalty to the Acting National Chairman, the party’s de facto leader, saying: “We do not have a President, The Acting National Chairman of the PDP is like our President, So the Minister is Loyal to him.

“Those who are asking these questions do not have party cards and are not members of our party. How can you stay outside and be talking?”