The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disowned the South-South Zonal Congress of the party held on Saturday in Calabar, Cross River State by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike and the zonal executive of the party, stressing that the exercise was not an official event of the party.
This is just as the FCT minister has challenged the position of the party’s NWC, saying that the constitution did not stipulate that the NWC should conduct a congress, adding also that nobody can intimidate him.
Wike also declared that Saturday’s congress, which was attended by the former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, was the final zonal congress of the South-South Zone, and that no other zonal congress will be held in the zone.
Meanwhile, the South-South Zonal Vice Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, who was re-elected at the congress, described the ongoing crisis in the main opposition party as self-inflicted.
However, in a statement issued on Saturday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, the NWC stated that the gathering in Calabar was not the party’s event.
“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 partly read.
It 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, 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 further stated.
Reiterating its stance, the party urged members and stakeholders to disregard any event claiming to be its zonal congress.
“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,” it added.
The NWC commended the South-South PDP, state governors and other critical stakeholders in the zone for their loyalty and steadfastness toward the unity, stability, and growth of the party in the zone and the country.
I Can’t Be Intimidated, Insists FCT Minister
However, in a goodwill message he presented at the zonal congress, Wike stated that the party’s constitution did not stipulate that the NWC should conduct a congress but the zone.
The minister who vowed that nobody can intimidate him, declared that Saturday’s congress was final.
The former Rivers State governor added that there had never been a congress or convention where every delegate participated.
He also maintained that the South-South zone is the strongest zone of the PDP in Nigeria.
Wike 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,” he said.
“There has never been a congress where every delegate was present.
“Presently, we have leaders who can’t speak the truth and are full of betrayal.
“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 be held.
“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,” Wike added.
In his address, the former Governor of Cross River, Mr Duke, urged PDP members in the zone to remain focused and fully committed to the party.
In his speech, Orbih said the problems of the party in the zone were self-inflicted and insisted that the party should not dictate who its members should associate with.
He stated that the party’s constitution had been disregarded in favour of personal interests by a few members.
Orbih said: “We must follow the party’s guidelines if we are to revive it. These guidelines are subject to the Constitution.
“The power to elect new officers of the party is not subject to anything but the constitution.
“We must start rebuilding the party from here. The party cannot dictate who an individual should associate with, nor determine their friends or enemies.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that all the immediate past zonal officers, who were elected four years ago in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital were re-elected during the congress in Calabar.
The zonal executive consists of 10 members, in addition to six ex-officio members.
They were all returned unopposed, but an election was conducted to reaffirm their positions.
The congress was attended by former governors, and former and serving members of the National Assembly, among others.
