Cross River PDP rejects NWC’s congress invalidation

• Affirms legitimacy of state congress

From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

The Cross River State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has distanced itself from the National Working Committee’s (NWC) recent statements questioning the legitimacy of the state congress.

Their reaction follows statements credited to the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who faulted the Saturday, 27 September state congress of the party in Calabar.

The national publicity secretary said those who gathered in Calabar were there for carnival activities, not for any PDP congress.

However, Mike Ojisi, the state publicity secretary of the Cross River PDP, has asserted that the congress was duly authorised, monitored, and attended by all party leaders and structures in the state.

Ojisi emphasised that the congress was supervised by a panel constituted by the party and monitored by relevant authorities, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the police, and civil defence.

“The said Congress was duly monitored by all duly constituted authorities, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) team of observers, which was ably led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner himself, the Police and Civil Defence,” he stated.

The Cross River PDP Publicity Secretary questioned the legitimacy of a purported NWC meeting that claimed to have taken a decision on the congress.

He emphasised that a congress does not hold at the whims and caprices of the NWC or when the National Publicity Secretary says so.

“A purported social media chat between five members of the National Working Committee cannot constitute a National Working Committee of the party, talk more of taking such a fundamental decision,” Ojisi said.

He challenged the national leadership to disclose the venue, date, and approved memorandum of such a meeting.

Ojisi reiterated the party’s commitment to its ideals and loyalty to legitimate decisions taken in accordance with extant rules.

“As law-abiding party members, we remain committed to the ideals of the party, remaining loyal to all legitimate decisions of the party taken in accordance with extant rules guiding the process towards taking them,” he stated.