By Frank Ulom
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State, Venatius Ikem, has dismissed a press release credited to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, which claimed that the state executive committee had been dissolved.
Ikem, in a statement issued on Wednesday, 24th September 2025, insisted that the executive committee, duly inaugurated on 29th September 2021, remains in office until 29th September 2025. He said the decision to fix the state congress for 27th September was in line with the expiration of the tenure.
“The Cross River State Executive Committee of the PDP was inaugurated on the 29th September 2021. Therefore, our tenure ends on the 29th September 2025. This is the reason why the NWC fixed 27th September for the state congress,” Ikem stated.
The chairman challenged the authenticity of the purported dissolution, stressing that the National Working Committee (NWC) did not convene any meeting to deliberate on such a matter.
“We challenge any of its members to tell us where such a meeting held. The Constitution of the PDP has never approved chats on social media platforms as ‘meetings’ of the party or as genuine channels for convening its NWC meetings on crucial issues,” he said.
Ikem described the alleged move as “illegal” and a ploy to impose an unpopular executive committee on the state. According to him, such an action amounted to an abuse of office and a violation of the party’s constitution.
“The purported dissolution is a deliberate attempt to install an unpopular state executive with persons who cannot otherwise win at the legitimate state congress scheduled for 27th September. This is a deliberate abuse of office and an affront to the Constitution of the Party,” he added.
He further accused some members of the NWC of serially abusing their powers by acting in the name of the National Executive Committee (NEC), warning that such actions could destabilise the party.
Calling for calm among members, Ikem urged supporters of the PDP in Cross River to remain law-abiding while the state leadership worked to protect the integrity of the party.
“We will not allow enemies of the Party to use the instrumentality of the NWC to derail the progress we have recorded over time,” he said.
