Cross River: PDP members stage protest over ousted chairman

Members of the Cross River State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday stormed the party secretariat with various placards, protesting alleged plans to reinstate the ousted state chairman of the party.

It was gathered that the protest was carried out by the ward and local government chapters of the PDP across the state.

The protesters, armed with placards with various inscriptions, threatened to leave the party should the removed chairman, Mr. Venatius Ikem, be reinstated.

Some of the placards read: ‘Ikem must go’, ‘All ward and local government chapters rejects Vena’, and, ‘The decision of the Cross River State Working Committee (SWC) is the best for the party’.

According to the protesters, who were led by the Calabar Municipality chairman, Mr Bassey Asuquo, the removal of Ikem was the best thing to have happened to the party.

Asuquo said that the party faithful no longer wanted Ikem as the party chairman. His leadership had stagnated the growth of the party in Cross River, he added.

“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 leadership should let Ikem go for the good of PDP 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 would 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 State WorkC of the party had, a 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.

Cross River: PDP members stage protest over ousted chairman