Cross River PDP Defies Wike, Backs Tim Ekawu for Sept 27 Congress
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened in Cross River State as key stakeholders openly defied the camp loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, by unveiling their preferred candidate ahead of the September 27 congress.
On Thursday, the Caucus of the Central Senatorial District formally endorsed Tim Ekawu as their consensus chairmanship candidate. The move comes barely 24 hours after stakeholders from the Southern Senatorial District also threw their weight behind Ekawu, effectively challenging the dominance of the Wike-aligned state caucus.
Party insiders said the decision signals growing resistance to Wike’s influence in Cross River politics, as his loyalists had earlier insisted on producing the next state chairman of the party.
Speaking after the unveiling in Ikom, leaders of the Central Senatorial Caucus described Ekawu as “a unifying figure” capable of repositioning the PDP in the state ahead of future elections.
They accused the Wike-backed caucus of attempting to impose leadership on the party and warned against external interference in the affairs of the state chapter.
“The PDP in Cross River must be allowed to make its choices without intimidation or undue pressure from outside forces,” one of the leaders declared.
The endorsement of Ekawu by both the Central and Southern senatorial blocs is expected to alter the balance of power in the September congress, leaving Wike’s camp in a tough position. Observers note that the Northern Senatorial District, which is yet to make its stand public, may now hold the deciding factor in the intra-party battle.
The development underscores the widening cracks within the PDP as the struggle for control between pro-Wike forces and other power blocs continues to play out across states.
