The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Cross River State has declared that the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, will not determine the next state chairman of the party.
The position was made public on Wednesday by the Cross River South Senatorial District caucus after a meeting in Calabar.
Speaking after the session, the state’s vice chairman of the PDP, Asuquo Ekpo, said the meeting was convened to address urgent political issues affecting both the senatorial district and the state.
In a communique signed by Ekpo, the caucus condemned a parallel meeting of Wike’s loyalists in Abuja which had endorsed the extension of the tenure of the incumbent state chairman, Venatius Ikem.
The caucus criticised Ikem’s leadership, describing it as divisive and riddled with conflict. It reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring an inclusive and peaceful state congress scheduled for September 27.
Ekpo explained that, in line with the national template and the resolutions of a Cross River stakeholders’ meeting, the caucus had adopted the existing state party offices allocated to the southern senatorial district.
He said the caucus would work to present a united front at the congress, recalling the “unfortunate experiences” of the 2023 elections when the PDP lost in the South.
The communique further directed all local governments in the district to consult widely and nominate their most competent candidates for the September 27 congress.
It also pledged readiness to engage other zones where necessary to realign zoning arrangements.
The caucus commended the National Woman Leader of the PDP, Amina Bryhm, for what it described as her bold and decisive efforts to stabilise the party in Cross River State.
