Nelson Utip
The National Working Committee NWC of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP has distanced itself from the South-South Zonal Congress of the party held on Saturday in Calabar the Cross River State capital with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike and his loyalists in attendance, the body posits that the exercise was not an official event of the party.
The NWC in a statement by The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba disowned the exercise saying that the real congress will take place in a later date after wide consultations:
“The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a reported social gathering in Calabar, Cross River State, where the organisers falsely claimed same to be the South-South Zonal Congress of the PDP.
“To the contrary, the PDP states in clear terms that it has not conducted its South-South Zonal Congress, neither is it in any way involved in the said gathering in Calabar.” The statement read in part.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NWC at its meeting on Thursday, February 20, 2025, in the exercise of its powers under Section 29 (2)(b), pursuant to Section 31 (2) (c) and (j) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017), postponed the conduct of the South-South Zonal Congress from the earlier scheduled date of Saturday, February 22, 2025, to allow for further consultation on critical issues relating to the smooth conduct of the Congress in the Zone.
“For clarity, while Section 29 (2)(b) of the PDP Constitution empowers the NWC to ‘in case of emergency, act on behalf of the National Executive Committee subject to the ratification of the National Executive Committee,’ Section 31(2)(c) expressly provides that the National Executive Committee shall ‘supervise and direct the work of the party and all its organs including the national, zonal, state and local government organs.’
“In the same vein, Section 31(2)(j) empowers the National Executive Committee ‘…to make Party electoral regulations to govern the conduct of elections to all Party offices at every level and regulate procedures for selecting the Party candidates for elective offices.” The statement continued.
The body called on members to ignore what they termed “ the gathering in Calabar”.
“For emphasis, therefore, the PDP states that it has not conducted its South-South Zonal Congress and it has yet to communicate a date for the exercise.
“The PDP calls on all party members in the South-South Zone, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and the media to disregard any gathering or outcome of any such gathering in Calabar, Cross River State purported to be the South-South Zonal Congress of the PDP.
“Our party will in due course and through its official channels communicate a new date for the conduct of the South-South Zonal Congress.” The statement concluded.
The NWC applauded the South-South PDP, state governors and other critical stakeholders in the zone for for shunning the Calabar event, seeing this as an evidence of their loyalty and steadfastness toward the unity, stability, and growth of the party in the zone and the nation.
Meanwhile The FCT Minister , Nyesom Wike in his reaction to the NWC stance on the congress, said that he cannot be intimidated as the South South Congress is a prerogative of the zone and not the NWC, he said there will be no other congress as they a successful event in Calabar.
Notable among the party stalwarts in attendance in the congress were Donald Duke, the former governor of Cross River State and Dan Orbih the immediate past Zonal Vice Chairman who was reelected.
In his remarks, Orbih said that the crisis in the party was self inflicted and called for unity to move the party forward.
