The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State, Venatius Ikem, has faulted the announcement that dissolved the state executive, describing it as unlawful and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Friday, September 19, Ikem accused those behind the move of trying to destabilise the party and impose leaders who lacked genuine support within the state chapter.
His reaction followed Thursday’s announcement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, who declared that the state executive had been dissolved because its tenure had expired.
Ologunagba also revealed that a South-South Zonal Caretaker Committee led by Chief Emmanuel Ogidi had been appointed to oversee the party’s affairs in the state and organise its congress slated for September 27.
Ikem dismissed the decision, insisting it violated the PDP’s constitution and was part of a wider scheme by some national leaders to hijack the party’s internal processes.
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He said: “The Cross River State Executive of the PDP was inaugurated on September 29, 2021. Our tenure therefore ends on September 29, 2025. This is precisely why the National Working Committee fixed September 27 for the state congress.
“The Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party has never approved chats on social media platforms as meetings of the party or as genuine channels for convening NWC meetings on crucial issues.
“The purported dissolution is illegal and a deliberate attempt to install an unpopular State Executive Committee with persons who cannot otherwise win at the legitimate congress scheduled for September 27.
“This action is an abuse of office and an affront to the Constitution of the party. The serial misuse of the powers of the NWC, purporting to act on behalf of the National Executive Committee, is a complete abuse of their authority.”
Calling for calm, Ikem urged party members and supporters in Cross River to remain law-abiding. He assured them that the state executive would not allow what he described as a “desperate attempt” to derail the progress of the party in recent years.