The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened in Cross River State, as stakeholders from the central senatorial district have openly rejected the influence of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and endorsed Tim Ekawu as their candidate for the September 27 state congress.
At a caucus meeting on Thursday, party leaders in the central zone declared their support for Ekawu, stressing that Wike, now a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has no authority to dictate the affairs of the PDP.
The move comes a day after the southern senatorial district caucus also rallied behind Ekawu, signaling a united push against Wike’s loyalists in the state chapter.
In a communiqué signed by State Secretary, Anthony Edako, the caucus said: “No external force, including Wike, will be allowed to determine who becomes the next state chairman. Only the PDP’s structures and procedures can decide its leadership.”
The group further blamed “transactional politics” for the party’s recent setbacks, pledging to restore internal cohesion and work toward reclaiming power in Cross River and at the national level by 2027.
The caucus also endorsed Amina Darasimi, the PDP National Woman Leader, for her efforts in repositioning the party, while reaffirming support for Edako as State Secretary in the upcoming congresses.
According to the communiqué, “The meeting without equivocation pledges its unalloyed support for the candidature of Tim Ekawu for the position of state chairman. The PDP, after four years, needs the calm and level-headed leadership that Ekawu brings to the table.”
With this development, both the central and southern blocs of the party appear to have closed ranks around Ekawu, leaving Wike’s loyalists in Cross River politically isolated ahead of the congress.