Onyekachi Eze 
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the report of the South-South zonal congress held in Calabar, Cross River State, last Saturday.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nysom Wike, who attended the zonal congress where Chief Dan Orbih was returned as National Vice Chairman of the zone, made a statement justifying the congress.
But the report of the congress dated February 26 and sent to the PDP national secretariat was stamped “Rejected” at the office of the National Organising Secretary on February 27.
Incidentally, the report was addressed to Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who has been sacked by the court as National Secretary and was signed by Orbih, who also was reportedly suspended from the party.
The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) had, on February 20, announced the postponement of the zonal congress and said it was to allow the party to further consult with stakeholders in the zone.
The party also, in a statement on February 22, the day the election was conducted, denied having conducted the exercise as it was yet to communicate a date for the congress.
Incidentally, PDP denied the report that it has postponed the South East zonal congress.
Chief Ali Odefa, whose expulsion from the party was reportedly upheld by the court, was returned as zonal National Vice Chairman.
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adulphous Wabara, attended the zone congress.
The rejection of the South-South zonal congress by the party is a sign that Wike is fast losing the grip of the PDP structure.
It was believed that the former Rivers State governor, who is presently serving in the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, is in firm control of the PDP NWC members.
Anyanwu, whom he is backing as National Secretary, has been sacked by the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, and the Supreme Court has refused to stay the execution of the judgment.
