12th April, 2024
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
Kingsley Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives representing Obio/Akpor Constituency of Rivers State has been appointed as the Chairman, of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Local Government Congress Electoral Committee for Ondo, ahead of Saturday’s governorship primaries.
Chinda who is also the minority leader of House of Representatives is also a loyalist of former governor of Rivers State and incumbent Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Wike is also from Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency.
Spokesperson for the PDP, Mr Debo Ologunagba, announced the appointment in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
Ologunagba said that the constitution of the committee was approved by the National Working Committee (NEC) of the party.
re to serve on the local government Congress Electoral Committee to conduct National Delegates Congress for the purpose of electing one national delegate per local government area in Ondo,” he said.
Ologunagba said that the congress would hold at the Collation Center of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in each of the local government areas of the state.
Ologunagba advised all the governorship aspirants, leaders, critical stakeholders and members in Ondo to take note and be guided accordingly.
However, the appointment of a loyalist of Wike for the important assignment will no doubt raise eyebrows among members of the party who have been clamouring that the influence of the FCT Minister in the party should be reduced following what they considered his anti-party activities during the last presidential election and the ongoing battle with his successor in Rivers, Siminalayi Fubara.
Many PDP members had also blamed Wike for encouraging 27 members of Rivers House of Assembly elected on the platform of PDP to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC in the wake of his fallout with Fubara and the consequent attempt to impeach the governor.
Chinda also recently opposed attempt by some lawmakers in the House of Representatives to force out the Damagun led National Working Committee of PD0P who they believed is beholden to Wike.
Wike at a recent reception in Port Harcourt said Chinda is one of those he could have supported to be his successor instead of Fubara.