Former Senate President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adolphus Wabara, has voiced his disappointment over the party’s disappointing results in the recent Local Government elections in Rivers State. In an interview with Vanguard, he attributed the party’s downfall to internal divisions and a failure to heed valuable advice, which ultimately contributed to its defeat. He pointed out that the ongoing political turmoil in the state played a significant role in this setback.
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) reported that the Action Peoples Party (APP) secured 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions, with results from Etche Local Government Area still pending. RSIEC Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd), indicated that results for 319 councillorship seats will be announced following the completion of collation.
Wabara lamented that this marks the first time in recent history that a ruling party in Rivers State, under PDP control since 1999, has lost its grassroots influence to a lesser-known party. He described this situation as unprecedented and declared, “The PDP has shot itself in the leg. Technically and literally, the PDP has lost Rivers State.”
Expressing skepticism about the party’s ability to reclaim the state in the upcoming 2027 elections, Wabara regretted that the warnings from party elders about the internal crisis went unheeded. “We saw this coming and warned the key players, but instead of heeding our advice, we were ridiculed. Now, the consequences are clear for everyone to see,” he remarked.
He emphasized that the recent election outcomes should serve as a wake-up call for political parties to respect the will of the people. Wabara urged party stakeholders to make necessary sacrifices to rebuild and reposition the PDP in anticipation of the 2027 elections. “I believe we have learned the hard way, but it’s not too late. We must come together as a family, resolve our differences, and work towards emerging stronger in 2027,” he concluded.
Written by: Idu Sunita