Determined to reclaim the governorship and all other elective positions at the 2023 General Election, the critical stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, held a stormy all-night meeting in Calabar, the State’s capital, south-south Nigeria.
Present at the meeting was the state party chairman, Mr Venatius Ikem, PDP board of trustee members, former governors Donald Duke and Senator Liyel Imoke, former Board Chairman of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Professor Stella Effa-Attoe, and the two PDP senators, Senator Sandy Onor and Gershom Bassey. They are aspiring for the governorship seat.
Others were serving members of the House of Representatives, state legislators and former senators and members of the green chambers like Senator Musa Adede, Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw, Patrick Ene-Okon, and Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, former deputy governor Efiok Cobham and ex-PDP State Chairman, Ekpo Okon.
Voice of Nigeria correspondent gathered that the only person absent from the meeting was a member of the Abuja legislative caucus and senator representing the northern senatorial district, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, because of a reportedly missed flight.
MEETING’S AGENDA
Some of the agenda for the closed-door meeting included modalities for the nomination of replacement of national and State assembly vacancies, membership registration, the coveted party secretariat, court judgments, sales of forms, the conduct of primaries, and the concerning issue of zoning.
THE REASON FOR THE CAUCUS MEETING
After hours of deliberations, the leader of the PDP in Cross River State, Senator Imoke, told newsmen that it was the tradition of the caucus as the highest advisory body of the party to meet regularly and review essential matters.
According to him, “the caucus is the highest advisory body of our party. What happens in the caucus is a forum to discuss issues that affect the party as we plan to win the general elections.
“The party primaries will start in a few weeks. The PDP is poised to take Cross River State to its victorious position. We have never lost an election since 1999 in PDP; a defection is not a loss.
“In 2023, we do not intend to lose. The caucus is convened to rub minds, share opinions and strategise toward succeeding in 2023.
“We have just had a very successful meeting and we are confident that come 2023, we will win the elections,” Imoke explained.
On his part, the state party chairman, Mr Ikem, said, “we had a rumbustious discussion on all issues, including zoning.
“At the right time, you will know how we resolved those issues. We assure all PDP aspirants of a level playing field.”
E/Suzan O.
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