The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the South-South zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not hold another congress despite opposition from the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Wike made this bold statement while delivering a goodwill message at the recently concluded South-South PDP zonal congress in Calabar, Cross River State. He insisted that the congress was final and dismissed any attempts to organize a fresh one.
Wike: “This Is the Final Zonal Congress”
Addressing delegates, Wike emphasized that no congress in the party’s history had ever had full attendance from all delegates and that the party’s constitution does not require such participation.
“There has never been a congress or convention where every delegate was present,” Wike said. “The constitution does not say the National Working Committee should conduct a congress, but rather the zone. I want to assure you that this is the final zonal congress of the South-South. After today, no other zonal congress will hold.”
He also dismissed claims that the congress should have been postponed for personal reasons. “There is no part of the constitution that says a congress should be postponed because of a wedding or someone traveling,” he said.
“Nobody Can Intimidate Me”
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a key political figure in the PDP, declared that he and other party leaders in the zone would not bow to pressure from the national leadership.
“This is our job, our terrain, and we are not new to this,” he said. “Nobody can intimidate me, and I don’t need to be a governor to stand my ground. Let us put ourselves together in truth and ensure our party remains united. We can only be united when we are truthful.”
He urged delegates to elect leaders who would protect the party’s interests. “Let us shine our eyes and elect leaders that will unite and protect our party,” he said.
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Dan Orbih: “We Must Rebuild the Party”
The re-elected South-South PDP chairman, Dan Orbih, also spoke at the congress, acknowledging that the party was facing internal problems.
“Our challenges are self-inflicted,” he admitted. “The party should not define the company one keeps, and we must now focus on repositioning ourselves.”
Orbih expressed hope that the congress would mark the beginning of a new era for the PDP in the South-South. “This congress will help reposition our party and kick-start the process of rebuilding,” he said.
DP National Leadership Rejects Congress
Despite Wike and Orbih’s firm stance, the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) has distanced itself from the congress, insisting that it was not an official party event.
In a statement, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba described the gathering in Calabar as an unauthorized meeting that should not be recognized as a legitimate zonal congress.
“The PDP states in clear terms that it has not conducted its South-South Zonal Congress, neither is it in any way involved in the said gathering in Calabar,” the statement read.
Division Within the Party
Wike’s declaration has further deepened divisions within the PDP, especially in the South-South, a region considered one of the party’s strongest strongholds. While some party members support the outcome of the Calabar congress, others insist that only the NWC has the authority to organize an official congress.
A party insider, speaking anonymously, warned that the internal rift could weaken the PDP’s influence in the region. “If we continue like this, the opposition will take advantage of our division. We need unity, not conflict,” he said.
With the PDP’s national leadership and South-South leaders at odds, the fate of the zonal leadership remains uncertain. Many party loyalists are now waiting to see whether the NWC will take further action or whether Wike’s declaration will stand.