By forming a caretaker committee in the South-South geopolitical zone, the People’s Democratic Party has put Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, under pressure.
The PDP clarified in a statement released on Friday by Debo Ologunagba, its National Publicity Secretary, that the National Working Committee’s decision was motivated by the necessity to avoid a leadership void and guarantee the party’s continuous seamless operation in the zone following the zonal executive’s term ending on March 9, 2025.
The PDP and Dan Orbih, the National Vice Chairman of the South-South, were prevented from having the zonal congress by the Rivers State High Court, which was seated in Port Harcourt.
The claimants in the case marked PHC/551/CS/2025 were PDP members from Rivers State, Tonu Ejiogu and Field Nkor.
However, despite the court ruling, the party proceeded with the congress in Calabar, Cross River State.
Wike, who supported and attended the congress, called the South-South the PDP’s strongest base, insisting that no other congress would be held in the region.
Wike maintained that the zonal congress was legally organised and that Orbih remained the National Vice Chairman.
The chairman of the electoral committee, Vita Abba, announced that Orbih won the election with 174 votes.
Disregarding Wike’s stance, the Umar Damagum-led NWC appointed Emma Ogidi as the Chairman of the caretaker committee for the zone.
The PDP also appointed Chief Damiete Herbert-Miller as Secretary, Nicholas Ayuwa, Godwin Akpan Udonta, Bekewei Ashanti, Idehen Ebomoyim, and Dame Vivian Ahanmisi as members.
The statement read in part “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has, pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) approved the composition of the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee to manage the affairs of the Party in the Zone from Monday, March 10, 2025.
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“The decision of the NWC is predicated on the need to avoid any vacuum and ensure the smooth running of the affairs of the Party in the South South Zone at the expiration of the tenure of the current Zonal Executive on Sunday, March 9, 2025”
“The committee is to oversee the activities of the party in the zone for three months or until a new zonal executive is elected in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the PDP.
