The faceoff between the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Part, Uche Secondus, and the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike,  may have deepened over the choice of candidates for the forthcoming local government elections in the Andoni Local Governmrnt Area.

Secondus, who hails from Andoni LGA, was said to prefer the incumbent council chairman, Lawrence Paul, to continue in office, but  he did not make the list of candidates cleared by the party.

Instead, one Erastus Awortu was cleared to run fly the party’s flag in Andoni for the local government election slated for April 17, 2021.

It was said that  Paul went to Abuja to see his political godfather (Secondus) and immediately he returned, picked the Alliance for Democracy ticket to ensure that he contest the April 17 council poll.

A poster of Paul christened, ‘Divine Mandate 2021; under the AD with the party’s flag is already in circulation.

Meanwhile, Dr Chidi Lloyd, a former leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly and estranged ally to the Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi was also cleared to contest the chairmanship position of Emuoha LGA.

Lloyd’s clearance came as the incumbent chairman of Emuoha LGA, Tom Aliezi was last week impeached by a two third majority of the Emuoha legislative.

A list of cleared candidates for the chairman positions in the 23 local government areas of the state spotted by our correspondent shows that only eight of the incumbent council bosses were cleared to re-contest.

Governor Nyesom Wike had said in several forums that only council chairmen with evidence of projects would be allowed to re-contest.