The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has solidified his position in the Peoples Democratic Party leadership crisis as the National Working Committee endorsed the Rivers State congresses.

Wike’s loyalists within the PDP NWC not only secured the approval but also postponed the National Executive Committee meeting, originally set for September 26, to October 24, which could have overturned the decision.

The PDP NWC, led by acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, made this decision during a meeting at the party’s national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja on Thursday.

The NWC meeting had been delayed for the past three weeks amid rising tension within the party, especially between former Rivers State governor Wike and the PDP Governors Forum over the status of Rivers State party congresses.

The political conflict between Wike and current Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, escalated on August 24 when PDP governors publicly backed Fubara.

PDP governors called for a review of the Rivers State Congresses and affirmed Fubara’s role as the leader of the PDP in the state.

This support for Fubara enraged Wike, who on August 31 threatened to create chaos in the governors’ states if they did not refrain from interfering in Rivers State matters.

The APC had fixed September 11 and 12 for the two meetings respectively following approval by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The party also published advertorials, asking members of the two organs to attend.

But the APC National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, announced the postponement of the two meetings in a statement on Monday night.

Morka said new dates for the meetings would be communicated in due course.

The statement reads in part, “Members of the National Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are hereby informed that the National Caucus and National Executive Committee meetings scheduled to be held on September 11 and 12, 2024, respectively, have been postponed.”

The Supreme Court has affirmed Governor Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress, APC as the winner of the governorship election held in Kogi State on November 11.

This follows the dismissal of the appeal of Murtala Ajaka, a candidate of the SDP who faulted outcome of the election.

In a unanimous judgment today,  the Apex Court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal which on 27 May affirmed the election of Ododo.

The Apex Court panel said the allegation of substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act was not proven by the SDP governorship candidate. It further adds that allegations of age falsification and certificate forgery are pre-election matters, noting it’s the Federal High Court that has jurisdiction to hear such.

The Supreme Court therefore dismissed Ajaka’s appeal for lacking merit.

INEC had announced that Ododo polled a total of 446,237 votes to defeat Ajaka who came second with 259,052 votes.