CALABAR — With a few weeks into what looked like a reconciliation with aggrieved parties in the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Cross River, party faithfuls are up in arms with themselves.
The simmering internal wrangling within the Cross River State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has erupted into a full-blown crisis, as key members of the State Executive Committee (SEC), stakeholders, and zonal representatives intensify calls for the removal of State Chairman, Barr. Venatius Ikem. The embattled chairman is facing mounting allegations ranging from autocratic leadership, financial impropriety, and lack of consultation to an alleged compromise of the party’s opposition status.
In what now appears to be a coordinated response to long-standing dissatisfaction, a group of party executives — including Assistant and Organizing Secretaries drawn from all three senatorial districts — have openly accused Ikem of sidelining party structures and stalling PDP’s growth since his assumption of office in September 2021.
According to Hon. Rita Ekpenyong, Assistant State Secretary (South), the Executive Committee followed due process in line with the PDP constitution, issuing a communique signed by 21 out of 36 SEC members mandating Ikem to appear before the committee on April 10, 2025, to respond to serious allegations. “He failed to show up and has since ignored our additional seven-day grace period,” she said.
She revealed that a cross-zonal team of party executives visited the party secretariat on the appointed day and submitted their findings to the larger Executive Committee for further action.
Comrade Egbe Awo, Assistant Organizing Secretary (Central), described Ikem’s leadership style as undemocratic and unproductive. “He doesn’t call meetings or consult anyone. Decisions are taken unilaterally and later signed off as SEC resolutions. This is not leadership — it is dictatorship,” he lamented. Awo further condemned what he termed “arrogant warnings” issued by the chairman to party members using the secretariat, stating that Ikem’s silence on these issues insults the same committee that gave him his mandate.
Beyond governance style, party executives are questioning Ikem’s financial stewardship. They allege that since taking office, the chairman has managed party finances without transparency, often in collaboration with only a select few. They are now demanding a comprehensive financial report spanning his tenure, citing the absence of documented revenue and expenditure processes.
In an extraordinary meeting held on March 28, the SEC members issued a searing communiqué and filed a petition to the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC), invoking relevant constitutional provisions to support their call for Ikem’s removal. The document, also copied to PDP stalwarts including Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke, and Senators Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, Sandy Onor, and Gershom Bassey, outlines the depth of their concerns.
A particularly explosive allegation is the chairman’s purported fraternization with leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Although no specific names were mentioned, insiders suggest Ikem’s closeness to APC elements has compromised the PDP’s ability to serve as an effective opposition. “He is playing both sides,” a top official said under anonymity. “This has crippled our capacity to hold the government accountable.”
Executives blame Ikem’s leadership for the defection of several high-ranking PDP members, including Barr. Attah Ochinke, a former House of Representatives candidate for Ikom/Boki, along with numerous state and ward-level officers. The petitioners claim the chairman’s “divide and rule” tactics have fractured the party and alienated the grassroots.
“The party is hemorrhaging,” a stakeholder said. “We are watching our structure collapse from within, and no one is paying attention.”
Hon. Agabi Jacobs, Assistant Youth Leader (North), emphasized the group’s commitment to party unity and constitutional due process. “We’ve exhausted internal remedies in line with our party’s constitution. If that fails, we will explore legal action as a peaceful means to restore sanity,” he stated. Jacobs added that their goal is not to destroy the PDP, but to reposition it ahead of the 2027 elections.
Esse Joseph, Assistant State Secretary (North), pointed out the PDP’s muted role as the opposition in Cross River State under Ikem’s leadership. “This state government parades minor local projects as landmark achievements, yet the PDP is silent. Compare that with the impactful work of federal lawmakers like Senator Jarigbe, and you’ll understand the gap in leadership,” he said. “Ask what Ikem has done since 2021 — you’ll find nothing of substance.”
With the April 10 deadline missed and no response from the chairman, insiders reveal that the SEC is considering recommending Ikem’s suspension and the installation of a caretaker committee. This move, if executed, could mark a major turning point for the party’s reorganization in the state.
While Barr. Vena Ikem has yet to publicly respond to the allegations, sources say he may be preparing to push back, setting the stage for a prolonged intra-party power struggle.
As tensions mount, the question is no longer just whether Vena Ikem will survive this political storm — but whether the Cross River PDP can come out of this turbulence united or further fractured.
Speaking with the state Financial Secretary, Comrade Chris Edadi who is a member of the state working committee and believed to be in the state Chairman’s faction, he noted that the chairman had done no wrong, as constitutionally he met with the SWC and the none state working committee members are feeling aggrieved for what is irrelevant.
“We have SWC members who have offices in the secretariat and go to work everyday in case of emergencies, these people who don’t even have offices in the secretariat think they should enjoy the same privileges like the SWC members.
The chairman met with us and LG leaders and they summoned the chairman to also meet with them. Their agitation are inconsequential. They rant in the day and turn behind at night to beg. Whatever petition or communique they have issued is dead on arrival”, Edadi said.
NEGROIDHAVEN is yet to establish contact with Ikem to get his reaction on the development and allegations. Our correspondent will be doing that subsequently.
