The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Rivers State has been drawn to an interview by Guardian Newspaper, granted by one Sydney Tambari Gbara and his publication today 9th of May 2024 on the subject matter. The former Publicity Secretary of the Party in the state, wherein he was addressed as the current Publicity Secretary of the Party.
It is on record that the National Working Committee of the party, released names of members of the Caretaker Committee of the Party in Rivers State, which was widely published in two national Newspapers in the country, Leadership and The Nation and in nowhere amongst the names, was Sydney Tambari Gbara sighted.
Also, it is pertinent to note that in a Caretaker Committee, the Chairman and Secretary are the only members with automatic portfolios, while other members are given portfolios at the behest and approval of the Caretaker Chairman of the Committee. It is the case in all Caretaker situations, not just the party and in this case, the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the PDP Rivers State, has made a pronouncement of a State Publicity Secretary, who is in the person of Dr. Kenneth Yowika.
Sydney Tambari Gbara is, therefore, by this notice, warned to stop granting interviews and parading himself as the Publicity Secretary of the Party, as his tenure elapsed on the 21st of March, 2024.
While Mr. Sydney Gbara is free to support and speak on issues that concerns the organization he supports, he is to do so within his purview as a free citizen of the State, not as the Spokesperson of any organ of PDP.
The said interview is laced with so many half truths and misinformation which should be taken with a grain of salt, by any right thinking individual of Rivers State, but it is not our priority at the moment, to give credence to an interview granted by Hon. Gbara to play to the gallery of his sponsors. Reference should also be made to Hon. Gbara’s publication today the 9th of May, “Assembly Committee of friends cannot impeach Governor Fubara, nothing that he Hon Gbara lacks the locus to speak on behalf of the party as he seizes to be the Publicity Secretary of the Party in the State.
As umpires in a crisis, we will not be cowered to taking sides with any of the parties involved, all we have done so far is to sue for peace and speak to the parties involved privately, on many occasions to sheath their swords.
It is the decision of any individual to choose whose side to be on, to lace their pockets as they continue to encourage the crisis, but it is not within the purview of the party to do so, as both parties involved are members of the PDP and we can only be instruments of peace, to bring a lasting solution to the ongoing political impasse. We refuse to be drawn into a crisis we should be settling.
On issues concerning the Government of Rivers State, the Commissioner for Information is the official spokesperson, while the Publicity Secretary of the Party is the official spokesperson of the party. The roles are not interchangeable, so it beats the imagination of any sane individual, why Mr. Gbara keeps impersonating an office he no longer represents.
As a party, we seize this opportunity to issue the final warning to Mr. Gbara to desist from parading himself as the Publicity Secretary, or face the consequences of his actions as being a recalcitrant member of the party, as enshrined by the constitution of the PDP.
Dr. Kenneth Yowika,
CTC State Publicity Secretary, PDP Rivers State.
