GUNSHOTS AS WIKE, FUBARA SUPPORTERS CLASH AT PARTY SECRETARIAT

Tension escalated in Port Harcourt on Friday as supporters of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and those loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, clashed at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat.

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According to eyewitnesses, the crisis erupted when Fubara’s supporters attempted to reclaim the party’s office, which had been taken over by security operatives following a court ruling that nullified the Aaron Chukwuemeka-led PDP executive.

The confrontation resulted in gunfire, with some witnesses claiming that security operatives guarding the facility fired the shots, while others alleged that the gunfire came from political thugs attempting to take control of the building.

The clash is the latest development in the prolonged leadership battle between the two factions of the PDP in Rivers State. Fubara’s supporters insist that they should take over the party’s structure, while Wike’s camp is determined to retain control.

Security personnel had been deployed to the secretariat following the court judgment, preventing Fubara’s men from accessing the office. The latest attempt by the governor’s loyalists to retake the premises triggered Friday’s violent clash.

The Rivers State PDP has been embroiled in a leadership crisis since the court ruling, which has further deepened the political rift between Fubara and Wike, his predecessor.

As the situation continues to unfold, concerns are growing about the potential consequences of the crisis on the state’s political landscape. Efforts to resolve the dispute are expected to be made in the coming days.