Hon Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, has said that there would be no further People’s Democratic Party zonal congress in South-South.
He emphasised that the Party’s constitution mandates zonal congresses to occur every four years.
Consequently, the South-South zonal congress conducted in Cross River State on February 22, 2025, is definitive.
Wike made this statement on Friday at the South-South zonal congress in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, where a large number of delegates gathered to elect new leadership of the zonal working committee.
He remarked on the significant turnout at the congress, highlighting that the party is vibrant and asserting that the South-South remains the strongest region for the party in Nigeria.
He expressed concern over the leadership crisis that impacted the party, resulting in a lost governorship seat in Edo State, urging the yet-to-be-elected leadership to prioritize party unity.
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During the South-South PDP Zonal Congress in Calabar on Saturday, Chief Dan Orbih, the party’s national vice-chairman, noted that a similar event took place four years ago in Port Harcourt, resulting in the election of officials for the zonal working committee.
Orbih stated, “At today’s congress, we must choose leaders who fear God and love the party—those who will stand up for the party’s constitution, particularly during times of self-inflicted crises.
“Now is our opportunity to realign our party. We must remember that our party’s constitution is paramount, and we must adhere to its guidelines to ensure smooth operations. These guidelines are governed solely by our constitution.
“Today’s congress is constitutional; we must wield our power as outlined in the constitution to safeguard our great party. Our decisions today will pave the way for a new beginning in our party. The party cannot dictate your friendships—let’s use our positions to draw people to the party. I see many capable individuals willing to take the necessary steps to restore our party,” he remarked.
In addition, former Cross River State governor Donald Duke urged party members to unite for the advancement of the party.
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