By Edem Ekpo
The battle for control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State has taken a decisive turn, as Chapter Chairmen across the state unanimously endorsed the Barr. Venatius Ikem–led State Executive Committee for a second term ahead of the September 27 state congress.
The Chapter Chairmen, speaking under the Forum of PDP Chapter Chairmen, also raised alarm over what they described as a renewed plot by “ADC sympathisers” to infiltrate and destabilise the party.
Addressing journalists in Calabar, the Ogoja Chapter Chairman and leader of the forum Odidi Emmanuel, declared that Ikem had earned their confidence through political sagacity, pragmatic leadership, and a steady hand in steering the PDP through turbulent times.
“The state Exco led by Barr. Ikem has shown tenacity, vision, and unity of purpose in repositioning our party despite being in opposition. They have remained focused and uncompromising with their eyes firmly on the ball. We cannot afford to hand the PDP to those we cannot trust,” he stated.
Reinforcing the forum’s position, the Biase Chapter Chairman and Forum Secretary, Obia Ikika, lambasted Ikem’s opponents, accusing them of acting as proxies for the African Democratic Congress (ADC). “It is laughable that those who resigned from the PDP and pitched their tents with the ADC are now struggling to secure positions in our congress. They should leave us alone to rebuild. Their betrayal dragged us down, and we have the records of their defections to prove it,” he stressed.
Other Chapter Chairmen described the anti-Ikem bloc as “political mercenaries desperate to wreck the PDP before abandoning ship for their new coalition platform.”
The forum’s endorsement sets the stage for a fierce showdown at the state congress, with Ikem enjoying strong grassroots support while his detractors face mounting accusations of treachery and sabotage.
Observers note that the wave of endorsements for Ikem has tilted the pendulum against the Governor Seyi Makinde faction of the PDP, which has been locked in a quiet battle with perceived serial financier and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, over the soul of the party.
According to a PDP legacy member in Cross River, Ntufam Ignatius Enoh, betrayal remains the greatest problem confronting the party. “Wike opted to sustain the PDP when Ayade defected to the APC and the PDP was in shatters. Without Wike, the PDP would have been done and dusted in Cross River,” he said.
“All these ranting on social media that Wike is controlling the party are coming from traitors who benefited from him since PDP became an opposition party in Cross River. Despite their age, they have chosen hypocrisy. They are already in the ADC but want to install their stooges in the PDP as bargaining chips,” Enoh added.
Meanwhile, the Cross River State Caucus, the Central Caucus, and other major stakeholders have already adopted the Ikem-led executive for a second term, citing stability, unity, loyalty, and a formidable structure as the basis for their decision.