C'River: PDP members protest chairman’s reinstatement

Venatius Ikem

THERE was a drama at the Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party,  PDP, in Cross River State, as members carried various  placards in protest against an alleged plan by the national secretariat to reinstate the ousted state chairman of the party.

The protest, was carried out by the wards and local government’s chapters of the PDP across the state.

Armed with placard of various inscriptions, the protesters threatened to leave the party should the removed chairman, Mr Venatius Ikem, be reinstated.

Some of the placards reads: Ikem must go, all wards and local governments chapter rejects Vena, the decision of the Cross River State Working Committee (SWC) is the best for the party.

Led by the Calabar Municipality chairman, Mr Bassey Asuquo, the protesters said that removal of Ikem was the best thing to have happened to the party.

Asuquo said that the party faithful no longer want Ikem as the party chairman as his leadership had stagnated the growth of the party in  Cross River.

"We are here because of the ongoing in the party ans we the chapter leadership across the state are in support of anything, including the removal of anyone that will make the party grow.

"The national should let Ikem go for the good of the party in Cross River.  If Ikem is not removed, we will leave the party for him," he stated.

On his part, Chief Dennis Nkiri, deputy state chairman of the party who received the protesters, assured them that the right thing will be done for the growth of the party.

Similarly, Mr Mike Ojisi, state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, said, "We want Jonah to be removed from the boat for it not to sink."

Recall that the SWC of the party had last fortnight ago removed Ikem over allegations of financial misappropriation, high-handedness and ineptitude.

On his part, the ousted chairman had described his removal as unconstitutional and threatened legal action against his purported removal.

Culled from Vanguard