The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Cross River State on Saturday, defied the National Working Committee, NWC, to hold its congress in Calabar.
The NWC had on Wednesday, dissolved the state working committee (SWC) led by Venatius Ikem, insisting its tenure had long expired. It also warned against going ahead with the planned congress.
But the Ikem-led SWC dismissed the directive, arguing that Abuja had no powers to stop them. The congress, they said, must proceed as scheduled.
The development prompted the deployment of heavy security at the venue to forestall possible unrest.
More than 1,000 delegates from the 18 local government areas participated in the exercise.
Declaring the congress open, Chairman of the Electoral Panel, Jones Chukwudi, assured members of a credible process.
He explained that although a harmonised list of candidates already existed, voting would still be conducted after accreditation in line with party guidelines.
Chukwudi pledged transparency, promising to display the original result sheets and ballot papers before the exercise commenced. His committee’s secretary, TJ Yusuf, urged delegates to view the congress as a “family affair” and to shun rancour.
According to Yusuf, “It is natural for people to desire good things, but we must conduct ourselves with peace and love.”
The congress was attended by key party figures, including Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, Senator Sandy Onor, businessman and educationist Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong, and former UNICAL Vice Chancellor, Prof. Zana Akpagu, who is seeking the Obudu/Bekwara/Obanliku federal seat.
