Ukorebi Esien I September 26, 2025
CALABAR — The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State deepened on Thursday following conflicting statements over the conduct of the state congress earlier scheduled for Saturday, 27th September 2025
While the South-South Zonal Caretaker Committee, backed by the party's National Working Committee (NWC), announced a postponement of the exercise, the State Deputy Secretary of the party, Mr. Joseph Ese, insisted the congress would still go ahead as planned.
Speaking in Calabar, during a meeting between Members of the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee and statekholders of the party in Cross River State, Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Mr. Emmanuel Ogidi, confirmed that the NWC had taken the decision to shift the exercise in Cross River and Plateau States. He explained that the move was to ensure order and fairness in the process, stressing that "you don't do congress when there is confusion."
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| Members of the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee during the meeting with stakeholders in Calabar |
According to him, reports of a purported injunction against the exercise, allegedly obtained by one Nabuchadze, were false and only circulated on social media.
"Where did they get that injunction? They are seeing it online. The party is not run on social media, and the court does not run the party either. The Supreme Court has ruled that internal party affairs are governed by the constitution of the party once its rules are followed," Gidi stated.
He further clarified that the NWC is empowered by the PDP constitution to take decisions on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC), subject to later ratification. "The NWC implements the decisions of the party's highest organs and can also take decisions in their absence. These decisions are subsequently ratified by NEC or the convention," he said.
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| A Cross Section of PDP Stakeholders during a recent meeting held in Calabar with members of the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee members |
Ogidi also warned that any parallel congress organized outside the authority of the NWC would not be recognized, noting that materials for the exercise remain under the control of the recognized party leadership.
However, in a counter position, State Deputy Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Joseph Ese, dismissed claims that the congress had been suspended. He maintained that the convention would still hold, insisting that "a group of persons identified as coordinators and members of the ADC cannot dictate for our party."
Ese explained that issues that would have led to the suspension had already been resolved at the national level in Abuja, adding that internal crises in politics are often settled even at the "eleventh hour."
"It is too early to conclude that the congress will not hold because of issues that can be resolved even at the last moment," he argued.
The conflicting positions have left party faithful in Cross River State uncertain, with some members aligning with the zonal caretaker committee's directive while others insist on proceeding with the state exercise.
Political analysts warn that the disagreement is an indication of the fragile state of the PDP in Cross River, which has struggled to regain cohesion since losing the governorship to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.
As of press time, no new date has been fixed for the rescheduled congress by the NWC, while the state secretariat insists preparations for Saturday's exercise remain intact.
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