Several Caretaker Committee Chairmen loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State have defected to the Action Peoples Party (APP) ahead of the October 5, 2024 local government elections in the state.
Speculation has been rife regarding the governor’s potential departure from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly following claims that the party’s structure has been commandeered by his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The ongoing discord between Fubara and Wike has sparked a political crisis within the state.
Despite these tensions, Governor Fubara recently hosted the Board of Trustees of the PDP, led by Senator Adolphus Wabara, where he publicly denied any intentions to defect and reaffirmed his commitment to the PDP.
However, the defections among council chairmen and their supporters indicate a growing rift.
Notably, nearly all candidates contesting for chairmanship and councillor positions in the upcoming local government elections are now running under the APP banner, with campaign activities already underway.
A prominent billboard featuring the current CTC Chairman of Port Harcourt City Council, Ezebunwo Ichemati, displaying the APP logo, has been spotted throughout the metropolis.
Ichemati recently pledged to deliver credible leadership if elected, stating, “We will defend the interests of the party (APP) and the state if elected into office. We will also adhere to the directive to avoid engaging in negative campaigns.”
Similarly, the CTC Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, Marvin Yobana, announced his defection to the APP during an event in Khana on Monday.
Yobana, who did not receive the governor’s endorsement to contest, declared, “I hereby announce that I have moved to APP and I introduce to you the person that would be sworn in after the October 5 election as the executive chairman of Khana, Mr. Martins Ibibo.”
Campaign posters of other candidates have begun to fill various parts of the state, signalling a robust push by the APP.
In a related development, Rivers APP Chairman Sunny Wokekoro announced that the party would launch its senatorial campaigns on Tuesday, starting with the Rivers South-East Senatorial District in Bori, the headquarters of Khana LGA.
Describing APP as the party to beat, Wokekoro said the party had come to change the narrative in the state.
He stated, “The Action People’s Party, Rivers State branch invites you today as partners in progress in changing the ugly narrative of governance in our state.
“To intimate you of our plans to embark on our campaigns under the guidelines provided by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
“As you are all aware candidates have emerged and have Successfully gone through RSIEC screening. By tomorrow, Tuesday the 24 of September our party intends to embark on Senatorial campaigns and rallies.”
