Rivers State people, under the aegis of Rivers State Elders and Leaders, have warned President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of imminent explosion and collapse of the party in the state, if the party presents the immediate Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, as its governorship candidate in the 2015 general elections.

Rising from a meeting with Chief Edwin Clark at his Asokoro residence, Abuja, the leaders and elders alerted President Jonathan, PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, the entire leadership of the party, that anarchy looms in the state following what they termed the inordinate political ambition of an individual who wants to impose himself on the people, even against the wishes of the people.

In his remarks, Chief Clark noted that the situation in Rivers State PDP has become explosive as no one could predict what will happen later if what he described as injustice is not addressed. He said that an individual has been masquerading himself as the owner of PDP, adding that there can never be peace in Rivers State if there was no justice and if the PDP fails to respect its constitution.

In a letter addressed to the president at the end of its meeting, the elders, who condemned the rising violence and killings in various parts of the state, stressed that if nothing was done urgently, the ambition of an individual would throw the state into anarchy and war, which they said will not augur well for the state and the country. They added that the violence and activities of some politicians in the state have become so worrisome that they are calling on President Jonathan to intervene to restore sanity

The elders insisted that the PDP must respect zoning and allow the riverine area of the state to produce the next governor. They warned that if this is not done, the party may not be happy at the end of the day, adding that the state will vote for President Jonathan next year as he already has 75 percent of Rivers State.

The letter, which was read by Chief Albert Horsfall, called on the president and leadership of PDP to order the cancellation of all the congresses and state House of Assembly primaries conducted. They also they called for the dismantling of all PDP structures in the state, said to have been taken over by the Wike-led Grassroot Democratic Initiative (GDI). They called for a fresh congress by the party national leadership.

•Adapted from a Vanguard report. Photo shows Wike.

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