A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Venatius Ikem, yesterday, emerged as the party’s chairman in Cross River State.
Ikem emerged by consensus during the party’s congress held in Calabar, the state capital.
The Chairman of the PDP Congress Committee in the state, Mr. Okey Aroh, who announced the results, said 38 other members of the state executive committee were returned unopposed.
He commended members of the party in the state for ensuring a rancour-free exercise.
He assured those who sacrificed their personal ambition for the unity of the party that posterity would reward them.
Aroh said: “We want to form a united party moving forward. For those who accepted to step down, I appreciate you.
“I thank all those who made it possible to have an affirmative congress as against a rancorous exercise.”
In his address, Ikem said his emergence as PDP chairman would bring back vigor into the party in the state.
He said when the PDP was formed in 1998, nobody expected the party would be in opposition in the state.
“Today, it is the reality that stares all of us in the face, but we are here to correct that mistake.
“I will work hard to reconcile all parties and reunite the party in readiness for 2023,” he said.
The PDP caretaker committee in the state was dissolved in May following the defection of Governor Ben Ayade to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
