BREAKING: PDP Sacks Vena Ikem as Cross River Chairman, Sets Up Caretaker Committee
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced that the NWC has also nullified the state congress recently purported to have been held in Calabar
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PDP Sacks Vena Ikem as Cross River Chairman, Sets Up Caretaker Committee
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has removed Vena Ikem as chairman of the party in Cross River State and dissolved the state executive.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced that the NWC has also nullified the state congress recently purported to have been held in Calabar. He said the party has instead approved the inauguration of a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the Cross River chapter.
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Ologunagba explained that the move was in line with the provisions of the PDP Constitution as amended in 2017. He revealed that although PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, had written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on September 25 to postpone congresses in Cross River, Plateau, and Kebbi States, a conflicting letter from the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, indicated that the Cross River congress would still go ahead on September 27.
According to him, while a group of individuals gathered in Calabar on the scheduled date, no legitimate congress was conducted in the state.
He further clarified that the tenure of the previous state executive, elected four years ago, had expired, making it necessary for the NWC to intervene to ensure proper leadership and internal order.
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To this end, the party has constituted a caretaker committee that will manage the Cross River chapter from Wednesday, October 1, 2025, for an initial period not exceeding three months, pending the election of a new state executive.
The committee is chaired by former House of Representatives member, Bassey Eko Ewa, with Bassey Joseph serving as Acting Secretary. Other members include:
Joe Ekpe Edet, Udie Mike, Lynne Bassey, Etim Okon, Ankot Cohbom, Ofana Raphael Odo, Onun Inyang Unoh, Ebaye Akunjom, Godswill Obindim, Edem Ekong, Raymond Abo, Moses Bisuakefe, Agabi Dominic Oko, Walter Nandi Esom, Ekpo Asuquo, and Victor Erig Takon.
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The NWC urged party members, stakeholders, and supporters in Cross River to remain united and work together to strengthen the party ahead of future engagements.
“The NWC charges all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party in Cross River State to remain united and continue to work together for the progress of the Party,” the statement read.
