22nd February, 2025
By Ehigimetor Igbaugba
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT was present as his ally, Chief Dan Orbih was re-elected the South-South Zonal Vice Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday in Calabar, Cross River State.
All the immediate past zonal officers, who were elected four years ago in Port Harcourt, were also re-elected during the congress in Calabar.
They were all returned unopposed, but an election was conducted to reaffirm their positions.
The zonal executive consists of 10 members, in addition to six ex-officio members.
The congress was attended by former governors, former and serving members of the National Assembly, among others
Speaking at the event, Wike said the PDP zonal congress held in Calabar would be the last to elect the Zonal Working Committee.
“Presently, we have leaders who can’t speak the truth and are full of betrayal.
“No part of the constitution says that congress should not be held when some persons are indisposed. No any other congress will hold after this.
“This is our job. This is our terrain. We are not new to this. The constitution didn’t say national working commitee shall conduct the zonal congress.
“This is the final congress in the South South. We don’t need quantity but quality,” Wike said.
The Minister added that the Zonal Congress was an indication that the party remained strong in the zone.
He commended Orbih and his executive members for maintaining the party’s stability in spite of its challenges.
He, however, urged the party’s leadership to speak truth to power if it truly sought to regain its lost glory.
Speaking after his election, Orbih urged party faithful to make the necessary sacrifices to revive and strengthen the party.
He described the ongoing crisis within the party as self-inflicted.
He noted that the party’s constitution had been disregarded in favour of personal interests by a few members.
He called for the election of officers who would uphold the party’s constitution in the zone, emphasising that such individuals must also have the fear of God.
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.”
In his address, former Governor of Cross River, Mr Donald Duke, urged PDP members in the zone to remain focused and fully committed to the party.
However, a faction of the party with Debo Ologunagba as the spokesperson has disowned the Congress.
Ologunagba who is the National Publicity Secretary of PDP in a statement on Saturday said the party has not held its South South zonal Congress.
.(NAN)
