 in Cross River State has suspended Venatius Ikem from his role as state chairman.){kind=link}
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State has suspended Venatius Ikem from his role as state chairman.
The decision was made by the party’s State Working Committee (SWC) and was outlined in a letter dated November 15, signed by all 14 committee members.
In a show of support, the party’s 18 local government chairmen backed the suspension during a press conference at the PDP secretariat in Calabar on Friday.
The suspension was attributed to allegations of financial mismanagement, autocratic leadership, and a failure to effectively manage the state chapter of the party.
The SWC resolution highlighted that the chairman’s actions had been detrimental to the party’s interests, damaging its reputation and credibility.
The resolution stated: “The chairman has neglected lawful directives, mismanaged party finances, failed to pay dues, and consistently avoided or failed to call necessary meetings as outlined by the party’s constitution.”
It further accused Ikem of engaging in anti-party activities and behavior that could create disunity among members or disrupt party operations.
The leadership noted that the chairman’s conduct violated Article 58 of the 2017 amended Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The SWC also emphasized that all internal conflict resolution mechanisms had been exhausted before taking this action. Citing Article 59 of the PDP Constitution, the committee confirmed that Ikem’s suspension was effective immediately.
Addressing the media, Chief Godwin Abeng, chairman of the forum of chapter chairmen, expressed optimism about the decision, blaming Ikem’s leadership for the party’s poor performance in the 2023 general elections.
“We support the SWC’s decision to suspend him and believe the party can now move forward and start preparations for the 2027 elections,” Abeng stated.
In the wake of the suspension, Austin Edibe, Vice Chairman for the northern senatorial district, has been appointed as the acting state chairman of the PDP in Cross River.