PDP National Chairman, Secretary Back Cross River Congress Against NWC
By Ekanem Asuquo
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened as the party’s National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, have endorsed the Cross River State chapter to proceed with its congress scheduled for tomorrow.
Their position directly contradicts the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC), which earlier this week announced a postponement of the congress citing the need for reconciliation among aggrieved members.
In a letter reportedly communicated to stakeholders in the state, the two top national officers affirmed that the state chapter had fulfilled the necessary requirements to hold the exercise and therefore should go ahead.
The move effectively aligns the national leadership with stakeholders in Cross River who have insisted that the congress must proceed as planned, despite the NWC’s directive. It also throws up fresh questions about the extent of the NWC’s powers versus that of the party’s national officers.
The controversy follows Wednesday’s announcement by the NWC, through the National Publicity Secretary, of the postponement of the congress and the dissolution of the State Working Committee (SWC) on account of the expiration of its tenure.
However, the dissolved SWC, led by Venatius Ikem, rejected the directive, arguing that the NWC lacked the constitutional authority to postpone the exercise. Ikem insisted that the congress would hold as scheduled, a stance now reinforced by the backing of Damagum and Anyanwu.
With the two national officers siding with the Cross River stakeholders, tomorrow’s congress appears set to go ahead, raising the prospect of parallel activities and further divisions within the PDP.
Observers say the unfolding drama underscores the fragile unity of the party ahead of crucial political contests and could test the strength of its internal conflict-resolution mechanisms.
