The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River has declared that the faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, will not determine the party’s next state chairman.
This stance was made public after a caucus meeting of the party’s Cross River South Senatorial District held in Calabar on Wednesday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Speaking after the meeting, the state PDP vice chairman, Mr. Asuquo Ekpo, explained that the gathering was convened to discuss urgent political issues affecting both the district and the state at large.
In a communiqué signed by Ekpo, the caucus condemned the Abuja meeting of Wike’s loyalists, which had pushed for an extension of the tenure of the current state chairman, Venatius Ikem. The group criticized Ikem’s leadership, describing it as conflict-ridden and divisive.
The caucus pledged to work towards an inclusive and peaceful state congress slated for September 27. It also endorsed the existing allocation of state party offices to the southern senatorial district, in line with national party guidelines and resolutions from the state stakeholders’ forum.
“The caucus resolved to present a united front ahead of the forthcoming congress, mindful of the setbacks the party suffered in the South during the 2023 elections,” the statement read.
It directed local government areas in the district to nominate their most competent candidates for the congress, while keeping room for adjustments in zoning if necessary.
The caucus also commended the PDP National Woman Leader, Mrs. Amina Bryhm, for her decisive efforts toward restoring stability in the state party structure.
NAN notes that the PDP in Cross River is currently divided between two camps—one loyal to Wike and the other to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who has since defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).