The Cross River chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has constituted a 20-member committee charged with planning and coordinating all aspects of the congress within its scope.

The state chairman of the party, Venatius Ikem, who made the remark in a statement he issued to journalists in Calabar on Thursday, said that the party had slated the state congress to hold on September 27.

He stated that the former vice-chancellor of the University of Calabar, Zana Akpagu, was appointed chairman of the committee, while Hellen Bocco would serve as secretary.

Mr Ikem said that the committee was also charged with ensuring a credible, transparent, and harmonious congress that would usher in a new lease of life for the party and reposition it for future responsibilities.

The party had been embroiled in the issue of retaining the state working committee, led by Mr Ikem.

While the state caucus of the party favoured the retention of the SWC for cohesion and to avoid crisis, some caucus leaders from the Central and Southern senatorial districts of the state thought otherwise.

However, the 18 party chairmen of the local government areas recently unanimously adopted the reelection of the SWC.

According to Odili Achom, the chairman of the 18 chairmen, Mr Ikem has displayed an uncommon level of leadership and steered the party’s affairs credibly in the state.

“We are aware of the various interests that have been shown by different blocs on the issue of chairmanship of the party in Cross River, but for us, we are in full support of Ikem’s continuity.

“Firstly, he is competent and has done very well since he assumed leadership of the party about four years ago. We are in full support of him continuing with the job of steering the affairs of PDP in Cross River,” Mr Achom stated.

(NAN)