Discontents within the Rivers State chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) have continued to fester by different court rulings, from both within and outside the state.
 
The development has allowed politicians to choose the judgment to obey or ignore, adversely affecting peaceful resolution of the crises. In fact, stakeholders believe that unless politicians in the state look beyond the judiciary and embrace dialogue, the protracted struggle for control of their parties will hinder their prospects in the 2027 general elections. Both PDP and APC have become increasingly factionalised in the state.
 
The internal wrangling in PDP took another dimension last week, when two parallel executives claimed to be in charge of the party structure. The development followed the January 13, 2025, judgment of the Rivers State High Court, presided over by Justice Stephen Jumbo, who nullified the ward, local government, and state congresses held on July 27, August 10, and August 31, 2024. He restrained the executives who emerged from the congresses held by the PDP officers in the state.
  
It would be recalled that PDP’s legal battle started on July 15, 2024, when Justice Sobere Biambo of the State High Court stopped the party from conducting its congresses.
  
But some members of the party proceeded to the Federal High Court, Abuja, where Justice Peter Lifu, on July 23, 2024, told the party to proceed with its congresses billed for July 27, and restrained the Director of State Service (DSS), Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from stopping the exercise.
 
Again, on July 26, 2024, Justice Charles Wali of the Rivers State High Court halted the party from conducting the congresses but the national leadership of the party chose to obey the order of Justice Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja and went ahead to conduct the congresses.
 
Few hours after Justice Stephen Jumbo’s ruling on January 13, this year, PDP chieftains loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, converged and announced their emergence as the authentic party executives.  
 
This prompted the chairman of the Rivers West Senatorial District, Robinson Ewor, to declare himself as the state acting chairman while Dr Feilx Nkor as the acting secretary, among others. Ewor explained that since nature abhors vacuum, as the vice chairman of the party in the previous party executives, he has the impetus to assume the position in acting capacity until congresses are conducted.
 
An attempt by his group to take over the party secretariat was prevented by the police, who took control of the place apparently to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
 
Despite the latest court order, the sacked PDP chairman, Chukwuemeka Aaron, and his camp who are loyalists of the FCT Minister and ex-governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, insisted that his faction is still in charge of the party affairs.

He stated that they were not party to the court judgment that nullified the purported PDP congresses, just as he accused Ewor’s faction of trying to foment trouble in the state.
 
As it is in PDP, so also in APC. The party has been enmeshed in leadership crisis since August 12, 2024, when the Rivers State High Court, presided over by Justice Sika H. Aprioku, delivered a judgment recognising Emeka Bekee, loyalist to former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, as the authentic party chairman, a development that is at variance with the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, which maintained that Tony Okocha, an ally of Wike remains the party chairman. 
 
Okocha emerged from the December 2024 congress held in the state, which was nullified by the High Court in Port Harcourt. The matter is currently before the Appeal Court. 
 
Analysts who spoke about the festering crises in the PDP and APC have attributed it to the struggle for control of the state resources and a build up to the 2027 general elections.
 
The most worrisome aspect of the unabated political squabble is its impacts on the economy as residents wake up each day with fresh political melodrama that is obviously affecting the economic growth and discourages investments. 
  
But Governor Fubara has always insisted that the political crisis in the state is not affecting his delivery of good governance, stressing that investors are returning to the state in good numbers.
  
Stakeholders and analysts have, however, continued to express worry over the escalating crisis even as they blamed the party leaders for their inability to manage their internal conflicts, resulting in the destabilisation of the state’s political landscape.
 
A political analyst and lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of  Port Harcourt, Dr Obinna Nwodim, said what is playing out is the battle for control of the party structure, which according to him is inevitable in any political  system. 
 
“Political players within the parties are at daggers drawn trying to gain advantage by outwitting one another. The scenario, no doubt does not augur well for the political space in Rivers State. It is all about the struggle to capture the soul of the state.
 
“The worrisome aspect is the fact that both parties are not respecting court orders and rulings, thus ridiculing the judiciary and image of the state. The implication of their actions also include that our judicial system is being disrespected and it would weaken democracy,” he stated.
  
But the spokesperson of Bekee camp in APC, Darlington Nwauju, blamed the national leadership of the party for the crisis in Rivers chapter.  He noted that the crisis began when its national chairman, Abdulahi Ganduje, dissolved the state executive committee, a development that sparked a legal battle that ultimately led to a Rivers State High Court ruling in favour of the Bekee led executives. 
  
Meanwhile, political observers pointed out issues such as defiance to rule of law as the major cause of the crises, accusing the national leadership of PDP and APC of having a penchant for disobeying court judgments. They blamed the existence of factions in both parties on abuse of court judgments.
  
A political and public affairs analyst, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface expressed concerns that, “The deepening leadership crisis in the two major political parties in Rivers State – PDP and APC – poses greater threat to the Rivers political stability.
  
“The crisis is now spreading like wildfire from one party to the other and is fueling more disunity among Rivers people as well as dividing the people along political and ethnic lines. While the crisis may be beneficial to those fueling it, it’s causing the state a lot as it continues to portray the state in bad light and deter investors over the uncertain political atmosphere and future of the state.” 
  
According to Kingsley Eme, the crisis in both parties is a result of anti-party activities by key actors. “The factions are more interested in protecting their territories and ensuring that their loyalists are on ground to fight future political battles.”
   
He warned that court cases instituted by both factions would only deepen the crisis, stressing that a political solution is needed to resolve the impasse. 
He also pleaded with the FCT Minister and Governor Fubara to come to an understanding in the interest of the state, urging them to let go of their ego and settle out of court.
  
Eme said: “The implications of the crisis are far-reaching. If not resolved, it may lead to a repeat of the 2019 scenario when APC failed to field candidates for the general elections. It may also create an opportunity for smaller parties to show their political strength, especially with the party in government struggling to resolve its internal conflicts.” 
  
He noted that the crisis in the Rivers State APC and PDP is a threat to democracy and 2027 elections, emphasising that it highlights the need for internal party democracy, the rule of law, and a commitment to democratic principles. “If not resolved, it may have far-reaching consequences on the state’s political landscape and the country as a whole,” he said.
 
Corroborating Eme’s position, a social commentator, Bob-Manuel Chukwu, noted that to resolve the crisis, the party leaders should take a step back and engage in dialogue. 
 
He explained that resolving the crisis could involve negotiations between the rival factions, as well as establishment of a neutral committee to oversee the party’s internal elections.
 
 “Additionally, the party leaders must prioritise internal party democracy and the rule of law. This could involve the establishment of clear rules and procedures for the party’s internal elections, as well as the creation of a neutral and independent electoral commission to oversee the process.
 
“Ultimately, the resolution of the crises will require the party leaders to put the interests of the state and its people above their own personal interests. This will require a commitment to democracy, transparency, and accountability, as well as a willingness to engage in dialogue and compromise,” he added