The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, by establishing a caretaker committee in the South-South geopolitical zone.
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP explained that the decision by the National Working Committee was based on the need to prevent any leadership vacuum and ensure the continued smooth operation of the party in the zone after the expiration of the zonal executive’s tenure on March 9, 2025.
The Rivers State High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, had restrained the PDP and the National Vice Chairman of the South-South, Dan Orbih, from holding the zonal congress.
The claimants in the case marked PHC/551/CS/2025 were PDP members from Rivers State, Tonu Ejiogu and Field Nkor.
However, despite the court ruling, the party proceeded with the congress in Calabar, Cross River State.
Wike, who supported and attended the congress, called the South-South the PDP’s strongest base, insisting that no other congress would be held in the region.
Wike maintained that the zonal congress was legally organised and that Orbih remained the National Vice Chairman.
The chairman of the electoral committee, Vita Abba, announced that Orbih won the election with 174 votes.
Disregarding Wike’s stance, the Umar Damagum-led NWC appointed Emma Ogidi as the Chairman of the caretaker committee for the zone.
The PDP also appointed Chief Damiete Herbert-Miller as Secretary, Nicholas Ayuwa, Godwin Akpan Udonta, Bekewei Ashanti, Idehen Ebomoyim, and Dame Vivian Ahanmisi as members.
The statement read in part “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has, pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) approved the composition of the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee to manage the affairs of the Party in the Zone from Monday, March 10, 2025.
“The decision of the NWC is predicated on the need to avoid any vacuum and ensure the smooth running of the affairs of the Party in the South South Zone at the expiration of the tenure of the current Zonal Executive on Sunday, March 9, 2025”
“The committee is to oversee the activities of the party in the zone for a period of three months or until when a new zonal executive is elected in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the PDP.”
(The PUNCH)
