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Patrick Kelechi

 

DAILY COURIER – The cracks in the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) may be widening as Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has ignored chieftains of his party in events scheduled by his administration to inaugurate some of the completed projects.

It was observed that the development was the first time in a long while the Governor failed to invite significant members of PDP for series of project commissioning and inauguration.

In the programme of events billed to start on Monday, Wike extended unusual invitations to the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to inaugurate completed projects in Rivers.

While Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was invited to inaugurate the Orochiri-Worukwo flyover, a former Governor of Sokoto State, would be in the State on Tuesday to inaugurate the Ogbum-Nu-Abali Eastern Bypass dualised road.

Among the invitees are Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, who would inaugurate the House of Assembly quarters on Friday and Olusegun Mimiko, a former Governor of Ondo State, who would commission dualisation of Azikiwe Illoabuchi Road.

There were indications that the bad blood created by the PDP at the national level and the party’s Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, during the process that led to the emergence of Atiku’s running mate was far from over.

Sources in the party said Atiku had made it worst with his utterances and body language that he could win the next election without Wike and Rivers.

There were signs that Atiku was making efforts to divide the Rivers PDP by bypassing Wike to establish contacts with other party leaders in the state.

Efforts to confirm reports that Atiku had further incurred the wrath of Wike by meeting some Rivers PDP leaders secretly including former Senator Lee Meeba, Austin Opara and former Governor Celestine Omehia proved abortive.

It was further gathered that the recent dissolution of the Governing Council, Elechi Amadi Polytechnic and the removal of Lee Meeba as its Chairman was part of the fallout of the alleged meeting with Atiku.

Last week, Wike dissolved the Governing Council of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic with immediate effect.

The dissolution was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Education, Prince Chinedu Mmom.

The statement asked members of the council to hand over all properties of the school in their possession to the school management.

Wike was said to have accused some leaders and elders of the party of holding secret meetings with Atiku during a meeting that ended in deadlock.

But the governor, it was gathered, took some drastic steps to reorganise the leadership of the PDP in local government areas where their former leaders showed signs of disloyalty.