The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State has been thrown into deeper turmoil as State Chairman, Venatius Ikem, openly defied the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) over ...ponement of its state congress scheduled for September 27.
In an unsigned statement released on Wednesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, announced that the congress to elect a new State Working Committee (SWC) had been suspended.
He also reiterated an earlier directive handing control of the chapter to the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee, headed by Emmanuel Ogidi, on the grounds that the tenure of the current executive had lapsed.
But Ikem, a member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), flatly rejected the order, describing it as unconstitutional and politically motivated.
He insisted that the congress would hold as planned, accusing unnamed former party stakeholders of engineering “an artificial crisis” to impose their candidates through the backdoor.
“The NWC is not the NEC, of which I am a member. They have no moral, legal, or constitutional authority to overrule the NEC’s decision,” Ikem declared, warning that he was prepared to challenge the dissolution of the state executive in court.
The embattled chairman further maintained that his mandate remains intact until September 29, 2025, presenting documents to prove that his executive was sworn in on September 29, 2021.
“Our election was held on September 18, 2021, and we were sworn in on September 29. I have submitted my oath of office and allegiance. Let anyone claiming otherwise produce theirs,” he said.
He stressed that all logistical preparations for the congress had been concluded, insisting that the role of the national leadership was to monitor proceedings, not dictate them.
The standoff has now deepened divisions within the PDP in Cross River, sparking fresh fears about the party’s cohesion and readiness for upcoming political contests in the state.
