- No Other South-South Zonal Congress Will Hold – Wike
- PDP Has Not Conducted South-South Zonal Congress – PDP NWC
- PDP Crisis Self-Inflicted — Orbih
The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has escalated as the party’s South-South zone defied a court order and went ahead with its controversial zonal congress in Calabar, Cross River State
This move directly contradicts a ruling by a Rivers State High Court, which had issued an interim injunction barring the congress from taking place anywhere in Nigeria.
Despite the legal roadblock, the South-South PDP pushed forward with the election, reelecting Dan Orbih as chairman with 174 votes.
The congress, chaired by electoral committee leader Vita Abba, also saw the election of key officials, including: Alabah Turnah, (Secretary), Evelyn Weke (Treasurer), Ijeoma Obani (Financial Secretary) and Timothy Okwoche (Organising Secretary).
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Other elected officials are Iyrneri Briggs (Legal Adviser), Prince Etim Isong (Publicity Secretary), Loveday Abaribote (Auditor), Phenomena Esubok (Woman leader), and Patrick Asuquo (Youth Leader).
In a dramatic twist, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, dismissed any possibility of a fresh congress, insisting that the event in Calabar was final.
The minister said there has never been a congress or convention where every delegate participated. He charged delegates to elect officials who will defend and protect the party.
He said, “The South-South Zone is the strongest zone of the PDP in Nigeria. It has always been and will always be. There is no part of the constitution that says congress should be postponed because of a wedding or travelling.
“There has never been a congress where every every delegate was present. The constitution did not say the National Working Committee should conduct a congress but the zone. I want to assure you that this is the final zonal congress of the South-South Zone, after the election today, no other zonal congress will hold.
“This is our job, our terrain, and we are not new to this. Nobody can intimidate me and I don’t need to be a governor. Let us put ourselves together in truth and ensure our party remains united and we can only be united when we are truthful. Let us also shine our eyes and elect leaders that will unite and protect our party.”
In his speech, the zonal chairman, Dan Orbih said the problems of the party in the zone are inflicted and insisted that the party should not define the company one keeps.
He also expressed optimism that the congress will help reposition the party and help kick-start the process of rebuilding the party.
He said “We will continue to do what is right for the interest and development of our party in the South South and Nigeria.
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“This is a very critical moment in the history of our party and we are going to do all we can to end the era of impunity and imposition.
“We will also start the process of rebuilding and rebranding our party. The expectations are high but we will not disappoint the party.”
He also disclosed that he is not aware of any court injunction saying the party cannot conduct the zonal congress.
He said they are guided by the order of the Federal High Court Abuja to conduct the Congress.
However, the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) swiftly disowned the congress, labeling it an unofficial gathering.
The party insisted that the event had been postponed for broader consultations and urged members to disregard its outcome.
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This was disclosed in a statement on Saturday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
“The attention of the National Working Committee 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 partly read.
The statement further explained that the party had officially postponed the congress to allow for broader consultations.
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, so as to allow for further consultation on critical issues relating to the smooth conduct of 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 further stated.
“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.
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.
As tensions rise, the battle over legitimacy continues, raising questions about the future of the party’s leadership in the region.
Will the PDP leadership uphold the court order, or will the South-South faction’s defiance set a new precedent?
