The Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, has inaugurated a seven-man committee for the revalidation of executives at the ward and local government chapters in Cross River State, south-south Nigeria.
The PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Efiok Cobham, who performed the inauguration at the secretariat in Calabar, said that assignment of the committee would enhance the reorganization of the party preparatory to the state congresses and 2023 general elections in Cross River.
Filling vacancies
Cobham, who is the immediate past deputy governor of Cross River State, said, “in some local governments and wards, there have been vacancies created by the movement of some key officers, who followed the governor to defect. After consulting with our national, there is a need for us to ensure that those vacancies are filled.
“In line with our mandate as a caretaker committee, we have to ensure that all organs of our party are working preparatory to the state congress where the State Working Committee, SWC, would emerge so we handover also.”
The Caretaker Chairman advised the seven-man committee to shun any kind of influence and remain sensitive to the assignment.
“These are men and women with tested capacities in public and political life. It is a sensitive responsibility we have given you, keeping in mind that we are now in the opposition. It is our responsibility to reposition our party, give it the necessary energy and strength so that come 2021, we will get our state back,” Cobham said.
The committee’s terms of reference, he said included to “examine all wards and chapter executives in the state as presently constituted and find out vacancies that have arisen as a result of resignation or decamping of persons holding such executive offices; recommend in consultation with stakeholders in the ward and local governments as the case may be, suitable replacements for those officers in line with the party’s constitution.”
Upholding values
Responding, the chairman of the revalidation committee, Godwin Ettah expressed appreciation to the party for selecting them for the technical assignment.
Ettah stated, “this assignment is technical and we promise not to disappoint the party. This is familiar terrain, very practical and straightforward. The peace and furtherance of our electoral values will depend on the tactful management of the assignment given to us. We are going to be thorough and going to submit our report with our credibility and integrity intact.”
The PDP revalidation committee has Godwin Ettah as chairman; Dr Rose Atsu-Arop, Emmanuel Etene, Mrs Ekondua Amoake, Anthony Effiong and Ignatius Agabi as members, while the secretary is Donatus Etim.
Suzan O
