PDP Wades into Dickson, Wike’s Feud
Chuks Okocha
The face-off between the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and his Bayelsa State counterpart, Seriake Dickson, has received the attention of the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the party has waded into the matter to reconcile the two governors.
The PDP, in a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said that the party has activated its internal reconciliation mechanism to settle the matter amicably.
The PDP said that it recognised that the tone of disagreements between the two respected governors was skin-deep and only borne out of their love and zeal for their respective states.
“The PDP leadership hereby urged both Governors Wike and Dickson, as eminent leaders and frontline stakeholders in the party, to sheathe their swords while the leadership harmoniously resolves the issue.
“We, therefore, assure all our leaders, critical stakeholders, members and supporters of our great party, particularly in Rivers and Bayelsa states, to remain calm and united, as the issue is already being resolved,” PDP said.
The main opposition party restated that it remains one big, and indivisible family that would not allow anything to undermine its unity and focus especially at this trying time in the history of the country.
Both governors had engaged in war of words after Wike accused Dickson of planning to cause crisis in Rivers State following his visit to the Amayanabo of Kalabari, King Theophilus Princewill, without the Rivers State governor’s knowledge.
Wike had further threatened to sanction the 90-year-old monarch if such a case is reported against him in the future, stressing that he exercised restraint by not removing the Amayanabo at the time.
However, last week’s judgment by a Federal High Court in Abuja on the contested Soku oil wells located in communities bordering both states seemed to have further aggravated the sour relationship between the two leaders as Dickson accused the Rivers governor of manipulation and unwarranted hostility against him and the people of Bayelsa.