Cross River PDP battles national exco over state congress

By Ehigimetor Igbaugba

The Cross River chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected claims of the National Working Committee’s (NWC) on the legitimacy of its recent state congress.

The PDP NWC had in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, faulted claims that a state congress has been held in Cross River.

Ologunagba described any such exercise as ‘hallucination” and insisted that the process had been formally postponed by the NWC.

But in reaction, the Publicity Secretary of PDP in Cross River State, Mr Mike Ojisi, in a statemen issued in Calabar on Wednesday asserted that the congress conducted on Sept. 27 was duly authorised, monitored and attended by all party leaders and structures in across the state.

Ojisi said it was supervised by a panel constituted by the party and monitored by relevant authorities, including electoral umpire, INEC, the Police, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

“The said Congress was duly monitored by all duly constituted authorities including the INEC team of observers which was ably led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner himself, The Police and Civil defence,” he stated.

He questioned the legitimacy of a purported National Working Committee (NWC) meeting that claimed to have taken a decision against the Congress.

He said that congresses do not hold at the “whims and caprices” of the NWC or when the National Publicity Secretary says so.

“A purported social media chat between five members of the NWC cannot constitute a National Working Committee of the Party, talk more of taking such a fundamental decision,” Ojisi said.

He challenged the national leadership to disclose the venue, date, and approved memorandum of such a meeting.

Ojisi reiterated the party’s commitment to its ideals and loyalty to legitimate decisions taken in accordance with extant rules.

“As law abiding party members we remain committed to the ideals of the party remaining loyal to all legitimate decisions of the Party taken in accordance with extant rules guiding the process towards taking them,” he said.

“No Congress”

Recall that Ologunagba, who also serves as secretary of the Media and Publicity Sub-Committee of the National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) said Cross River was one of the states where the state congress was shifted after due considerations.

“For emphasis, there was none. There was no congress in Cross River State for the PDP, because it has been postponed, along with that of Plateau and Kebbi,” Ologunagba declared.

He dismissed reports that party members gathered in Calabar for a Congress, saying such an event bore no legitimacy.

“All these processes, particularly the setting up of an electoral panel, have not happened,” he said.

Asked if the party would sanction organisers of the alleged exercise in Calabar, Ologunagba replied: “for anybody who has brought this party into disrepute, we know what to do.

“There’s a constitution. We all subscribed to be members, and we swore to obey it. Enough is enough.

He added that the NNWC will constitute a Caretaker committee who shall run the affairs of the party in Cross River for some time.

“Currently for Cross River, the South-South Zonal Caretaker Committee will be overseeing the affairs of the chapter as earlier directed by the NWC,” he said.

”(NAN)