There was tension 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 along the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway.
According to Vanguard, the crisis erupted following an attempt by Fubara’s supporters to reclaim the party’s office, which had been taken over by security operatives after the court nullified the Aaron Chukwuemeka-led PDP executive.
While some claimed the gunshots were fired by security operatives guarding the facility, others alleged that they came from political thugs attempting to take control of the building.
Naija News understands that the confrontation follows the recent sacking of Chukwuemeka’s executive by the court, a ruling that further deepened the political crisis between Fubara and Wike, his predecessor.
The PDP in Rivers State has been at the center of a prolonged leadership battle between the two factions.
Fubara’s supporters insist they should take over the party’s structure, while Wike’s camp is keen on retaining 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.
