The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown down the gauntlet against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, by establishing a caretaker committee in the South-South geopolitical zone. This decision, announced on Friday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, comes despite a restraining order from the Rivers State High Court, setting the stage for a high-stakes political showdown.
The PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) justified the move as a necessary step to prevent a leadership vacuum and ensure the party’s seamless operation in the region after the current zonal executive’s tenure expires on March 9, 2025. However, the decision has sparked controversy, as it directly challenges a court injunction that barred the party and its National Vice Chairman for the South-South, Dan Orbih, from conducting a zonal congress.
The court order, issued in a case filed by two PDP members from Rivers State, Tonu Ejiogu and Field Nkor, marked PHC/551/CS/2025, was seemingly ignored as the party proceeded with the congress in Calabar, Cross River State. Wike, a key figure in the PDP and a staunch supporter of the congress, attended the event and declared the South-South as the party’s strongest base. He vehemently opposed any further congresses in the region, asserting that the Calabar event was legally conducted and that Orbih remained the legitimate National Vice Chairman.
Despite Wike’s firm stance, the PDP’s NWC, led by Umar Damagum, took a decisive step by appointing Emma Ogidi as the Chairman of the newly established caretaker committee. The committee also includes Chief Damiete Herbert-Miller as Secretary, alongside Nicholas Ayuwa, Godwin Akpan Udonta, Bekewei Ashanti, Idehen Ebomoyim, and Dame Vivian Ahanmisi as members. This move signals a clear rift within the party, as the NWC appears to be asserting its authority over Wike’s influence in the region.
In a statement, the PDP emphasized that the caretaker committee’s formation was in line with the party’s constitution, as amended in 2017. The committee is tasked with managing the party’s affairs in the South-South zone for three months or until a new zonal executive is elected. The statement read, “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.”
This development underscores the deepening tensions within the PDP, as factions loyal to Wike and the NWC clash over control of the party’s structure in the South-South. With Wike’s influence in the region and the NWC’s determination to assert its authority, the stage is set for a protracted political battle that could have far-reaching implications for the party’s unity and future.
As the PDP navigates this internal crisis, all eyes will be on how the caretaker committee performs and whether it can maintain stability in the South-South zone—a critical stronghold for the party. One thing is certain: the PDP’s leadership is playing a high-stakes game, and the outcome could reshape the party’s trajectory ahead of future elections.
