Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has suspended its Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr. Nname Robinson Ewor, amid deepening internal divisions tied to his alleged alignment with influential political figure and Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike. The suspension marks a significant escalation in the political crisis engulfing the state’s dominant opposition party as it grapples with fractures over loyalty, leadership and strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The decision, taken at an emergency meeting of the Rivers State PDP Caretaker Committee on January 3, 2026, followed a review of Ewor’s recent public conduct and statements, which party leaders described as inconsistent with the party’s official position and damaging to its cohesion in the oil‑rich state. Ewor was suspended both from his role as Caretaker Chairman and as a member of the PDP’s Rivers State chapter — a move that underscores the severity of the internal dispute.
In announcing the suspension, Chief Ogbam Ojimah, the Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, said Ewor’s actions amounted to a voluntary relinquishment of his leadership role. Ojimah explained that Ewor’s perceived defiance of party directives, including his public appearances and engagements alongside Wike during the latter’s political tours, was viewed as undermining the PDP’s unity and strategic direction.
“Nyesom Wike has already been expelled from our party and therefore has no right to interfere in the affairs of the PDP,” Ojimah told journalists after the meeting in Port Harcourt. He emphasised that the state PDP had formally distanced itself from Ewor’s statements and upheld its loyalty to the national leadership under Dr. Kabiru Turaki, the party’s National Chairman.
The suspended chairman has been a vocal critic of Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s leadership and subsequent political manoeuvres, including Fubara’s defection from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2025. Ewor had alleged that Fubara misled party stakeholders during a protracted political crisis in the state and accused him of abandoning the PDP “in the middle of a political sea” following his defection.
Observers note that Ewor’s alignment with Wike — a former Rivers State governor and a key national figure within the PDP before his expulsion — has inflamed factional tensions. Wike remains a polarising presence within the party, particularly in Rivers State, where local political dynamics have been shaped by his longstanding influence and rivalry with Fubara.
Party officials said Ewor’s conduct was capable of weakening the PDP’s organisational structure and electoral prospects in a state seen as crucial to opposition strategy. In his absence, Ogbam Ojimah has been appointed Acting Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, with Dr. Baribefu Fidunko assuming the role of Acting Secretary. Both were tasked with steering the party’s affairs and reinforcing its commitment to electoral competitiveness and internal stability.
The suspension highlights broader tensions within the PDP as it confronts defections, internal disagreements and strategic recalibration ahead of the 2027 elections. Rivers State, one of the country’s most populous and politically strategic regions, has witnessed significant political flux in recent months, including the controversial defection of Governor Fubara and the fracturing of traditional party alliances.
Political analysts say the crisis in Rivers reflects deeper challenges within the PDP nationally, where competing loyalties and leadership contests have strained the party’s ability to present a cohesive front against the ruling APC. In Rivers State specifically, the divide between supporters of Wike and those aligned with Fubara has widened, with each faction staking claims to influence the party’s future direction and candidate selection.
The decision to suspend Ewor comes as the PDP seeks to assert its authority and clarify its organisational hierarchy following the contentious events of late 2025, including the dissolution of internal party structures and subsequent legal battles over party conventions. Rivers PDP leaders maintain that enforcing internal discipline and adherence to party policy is essential to restoring confidence among members and supporters.
Ewor’s removal will likely reverberate through Rivers political circles, particularly among stakeholders sympathetic to Wike’s continued engagement and influence within the broader opposition landscape. Wike’s supporters have interpreted the minister’s post‑PDP activities as an attempt to reshape political alignments, even as the national PDP leadership distances itself from his actions following his formal expulsion.
As Rivers PDP navigates this period of uncertainty, the suspension reflects both the intensity of intra‑party disagreements and the strategic calculations underway as Nigeria approaches a critical electoral year. For now, the party’s state leadership has signalled its intention to consolidate authority, reinforce discipline, and pursue unified engagement with the electorate, even as political rivalries continue to unfold on multiple fronts.
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