PDP Cross River crisis worsens as state chairman rejects congress postponement, heightening divisions ahead of key elections.
The PDP Cross River crisis has intensified following contradictory announcements over the state congress set to elect a new State Working Committee.
Also read:Cross River APC PDP Clash Escalates Ahead of 2027 Polls
The National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, declared a postponement of the congress scheduled for September 27, 2025, in an unsigned press release.
This came after an earlier directive that the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee, led by Emmanuel Ogidi, should take charge pending fresh elections due to the expiration of the current executive’s tenure.
However, the state PDP Chairman, Venatius Ikem, firmly rejected these instructions.
He insists the congress will proceed as planned and accused some former party stakeholders of orchestrating a manufactured crisis to impose preferred candidates while pushing a coalition agenda.
Ikem, a member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), asserted that his tenure remains valid until September 29, 2025.
He stressed that the NEC, not the National Working Committee (NWC), is the proper authority to fix the congress date, and that the NWC has no constitutional power to alter it.
“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.
He further warned he would legally challenge any attempt to dissolve the state executive prematurely, emphasizing that preparations for the congress are already in place.
“The state congress will be organised by the state chapter.
The national committee’s role is to monitor, not to dictate,” he added.
Also read: Rivers State Emergency Rule Ends Amid Mixed Reactions
The dispute has deeply divided the PDP in Cross River, raising serious concerns about the party’s unity ahead of critical political contests in the state.
