C'River PDP Congress Holds September 27, NWC Has No Right To Overrule NEC's Decision, Says Vena
Bassey BASSEY
Cross River Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) l, Barr. Venatius Ikem, has stated unequivocally that the scheduled state Congress for Saturday, September 27, 2025 will still holds.
Reacting to the postponement of Cross River and Plateau states Congresses by the NWC, Ikem said the national body has no constitutional right to override NEC decision on CONGRESS matters.
Insisting that the Congress would hold as planned on Saturday, Ikem also debunked the claim that his tenure has expired.
He alleged that some interested persons who want to take over the affairs of the State Chapter of the PDP were bent on creating crisis where none existed.
Ikem noted that the purported dissolution of the SWC was all about ploy to have way for the emergency of their predetermined candidates for the scheduled September 27th Congress.
"The National Working Committee (NWC) is not the National Executive Committee (NEC) of which I'm a member.
"The NEC of the party fixed that date, September 27 for the Congress and the only five or so persons of the NWC that are here cannot, in their social media platform, begin to churn out ridiculous rules for everybody and every state in the name of working committee.
"So, they cannot; they have no moral authority, no legal authority, no constitutional authority, to go behind NEC and take such a decision.
"As a member of NEC, I know that there are instances where they can take decision on behalf of NEC,
but not on this, not in this kind of situation.
"They cannot. They are incapable of overruling NEC because this will amount to overruling NEC.
They don't have such a mandate. And we will challenge it everywhere,
including the courts of law," Ikem emphasised.
Ikem insisted that the Congress will hold on as planned as everything logistics have been put in place for a successful Congress on Saturday.
"In the first place, the NEC or indeed the NWC, especially has no right to organise a Congress for meany state.
"Each organ of the party is empowered by the constitution to organise its Congress;
the local governments, states, and the national, so this aberration has gone on for too long.
"The state Congress will be organised by the state chapter of the party. At best, the committee from national is to monitor," he insisted.
Speaking on the purported dissolution of the SWC, the chairnan explained that his ternire will expire on the 29 of September.
According to him, "I have been able to marshal out concrete arguments on why our tenure has not expired.
Our election was held on the 18th of September, 2021 and we were sworn in on the 29th.
"I have since submitted my oath of office. Anybody who claims otherwise, including the State Secretary, let him produce his oath of office that was taken on that day.
"Oath of office and oath of allegiance. We all swore to it
and we all have copies. Let him produce his own to show that it is different."
Meanwhile THE BEAGLE NEWS investigations revealed that the Vena-led Exco has concluded arrangements for the Saturday Congress as delegates are expected to start arriving from Friday, September 26.
