…Describe Calabar Zonal congress meeting illegal

By Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja

Leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-South Zone, including the State Chairmen of the party in the six states, have passed a vote of confidence on the four Governors elected under the party.

In a statement issued by the zonal leaders, they equally passed a vote of confidence on the Zonal Secretary of the party, Chief Felix Omemu, warning those perpetuating negative leadership crises in the region to desist from their futile attempts to fan the embers of disunity.

The Zonal Leadership of the PDP, made up of Bishop Etim Ante, Zonal Publicity Secretary, Barr. Lloyd Owonaro, Zonal Youth Leader, Chief (Mrs) Tessy Toru, Zonal Woman Leader, Chief Boghabofa N. Amaino, Zonal Ex-officio, Bayelsa State, Hon. Monday C. Akpan, Zonal Ex-officio, Akwa Ibom, Hon. Chux Nwaebuni, Zonal Ex-officio, Delta State, and Hon. Idehen Ebomoyi, Zonal Ex-officio, Edo State, gave the endorsement.

Other leaders who signed the document include High Chief Nname R. Ewori, PDP State Chairman, Rivers State, Chief Solomon Areyinka, Chairman, Delta State, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Akpan, Chairman, Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Solomon Agwana, Chairman, Bayelsa State, Tony Aziegbeni, Chairman, Edo State, and Mr. Dennis Nkiri, Acting PDP State Chairman, Cross River State.

According to the zonal and state PDP leaders, as representatives of the authentic party leadership in the zone, in collaboration with state chairmen across the South-South, with all the party structures from the ward to the zonal level and other strategic stakeholders of the party, they insisted that they have an obligation to act timely to strengthen and ensure the stability of every structure across the zone.

In a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting, the zonal and state party leaders wondered how a ruling party in the zone that produced four incumbent state Governors, twelve Senators, over forty House of Representatives members, and over one hundred House of Assembly members, with numerous Chairmen of Local Government Areas, could convene a Zonal Executive Meeting (ZEC) with less than three percent attendance of these statutory officials.

The communique reads in part: “With the absence of top personalities like former Governors, Deputy Governors,non serving Legislators and former party officials and other strategic stalwarts of the party who are statutory members of ZEC, the conveners of such purported meeting have a case to answer for this glaring political gangsterism and malfeasance attempt to manipulate the collective will of members.”

“Any gathering including a purported Zonal Elective Congress illegally scheduled for Calabar, Cross River State without the due approval of key leaders including the State Governors remains illegal and unacceptable.”

After detailed deliberation, the zonal PDP leaders resolved in a 10-point communiqué that, in light of the above, they, as concerned party officers in all structures of the zone, strategic stalwarts, and founding members of the People’s Democratic Party in the South-South Zone of Nigeria, accordingly state as follows: The internal wrangling in the party involving the national structure and some states in the South-South geopolitical zone is avoidable and uncalled for, and they frown seriously at the instigation and spread of this conflict to the zone by agents of distraction and destabilization.

“We abhor the baseless fight for supremacy orchestrated by the leadership of the party at the Zone against the four Governors, having been fully aware that all the current Zonal Officers were nominated by their Governors, including the Current National Vice chairman and the South-South Zonal Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, who was nominated by the immediate past governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and supported by other Governors”.

“It is appropriate to state that the purported Zonal working committee meeting held in Benin, Edo State on the 14th February 2025 to approve the purported Zonal Executive Meeting(ZEC) on the 15th February 2025 is illegal and unconstitutional, as they could not secure the required two third majority as provided in section 26(3), therefore, every decision taken in the purported Zonal working committee on the 14th and the subsequent unauthorised Zonal Executive Meeting held on the 15th February 2025, all Benin, Edo State is inconsequential, illegal, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever”.

“We view the purported and illegal removal of our erudite Zonal Secretary, Prof. Felix Omemu who has worked for our dear party, diligently for over two decades and also worked as our Zonal secretary for over three years as an affront to our teeming members and insensitivity on the esteemed personality and dignity of our revered Governors of the South-South geo political Zone.”

“The decision of certain persons or group of persons to remain in the party with grief and malice to cause indignation with impunity and gross insubordination to our revered Governors and other party leaders is unacceptable. It is important to note that no sane person can serve two masters at a time, and this has led to brazen act of anti party activities which must be checkmated, with people having the effrontry of wearing two faces in one political party.”

“Accordingly, on behalf of the entire party structures in the South-South geo political Zone, from the ward level, the Local Government, the state and the Zonal levels of our great party, we unequivocally declare that Associate Prof. Felix Omemu remains the authentic Zonal Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party of the South-South Zone, and accordingly pass a vote of confidence on him”.

“We have accordingly thought it wise to pass a vote of confidence on our dear Governors of the PDP in the four South-South states for their superlative performance that has brought succour to the good people of Zone and spread development to our doorsteps.”

“We have elected and determined to take critical decisions and strategic steps to strengthen our great party in order to maintain our winning streaks at all levels.We are working closely with our leaders in the zone to strengthen our party ahead of the next general elections,” the party leaders said.