Akwa Ibom State Chapter Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Hon. Aniekan Akpan has launched a scathing counter-offensive against the purported dissolution of his executive committee by a faction of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

In a fresh war, which erupted yesterday within the party with bold defiance and legal muscle, Akpan has declared the action a nullity, warning that, the executive he leads remains intact and constitutionally grounded until 2028.

His outburst came on the heels of what he described as an unlawful and unjustified attempt to dismantle the leadership structure elected at the 2024 congress.

“There is no room for a caretaker committee now because it is not necessary. We still have three years to go,” he said, visibly incensed.

Akpan insists that the NWC has not communicated any wrongdoing by the 39-member executive, questioning the rationale behind what he termed a blanket punishment possibly for attending political events with key national figures like former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

“Nobody has ever called us to say, ‘this is what you did.’ If it’s because some members received Wike at the airport, then deal with those individuals. But to sack the entire exco is impunity and we will resist it. This Is What Has Destroyed Our Party”

Akpan’s voice is not the only one ringing with discontent. Hon. Uyoata Friday Asam-Eyo, National Ex-Officio for the South-South and a member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), quickly joined the fray, describing the NWC’s action as both “illegal” and “unconstitutional.

“Only NEC has the authority to dissolve a state executive, not the NWC,” Asam-Eyo stressed in a public statement, nullifying the action taken from Wadata Plaza in Abuja.

According to him, the imposition of a caretaker committee led by one Iwat Umoren is a clear breach of the PDP’s constitution and internal procedures — one that will not stand “the test of legality or legitimacy.”

As tension mounts, the entire South-South Zonal leadership of the PDP has thrown its weight behind Akpan.

In an explosive press release issued on October 1, 2025, the zone rejected any form of executive dissolution in both Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

Signed by Prince Etim Isong, Zonal Publicity Secretary, the statement slammed the national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, accusing him of spreading “falsehoods” and overreaching his mandate.

“Ologunagba’s claims are unfounded and purely fabrications born from his own imagination. There was no consultation with the zonal leadership. That is a serious breach,” the zonal leadership charged.

In a rare disciplinary move, the South-South zone declared Ologunagba persona non grata across the region and publicly withdrew its confidence in his office a first in recent party history.

PDP in Freefall: A Party at War with Itself

This internal crisis comes at a time when the PDP, once likened to a “religion” in South-South Nigeria, is visibly struggling to maintain cohesion amid internal contradictions, factionalism, and allegations of impunity.

Speaking from Abuja, human rights lawyer and political analyst, Barrister Jacob Brown Udobang, warned that if these cracks are not urgently addressed, they could have devastating consequences for the PDP’s chances in the 2027 general elections.

“These parallel power tussles weaken the party’s credibility and confuse voters. You can’t win elections when your house is on fire,” Udobang noted.

Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom State PDP has issued a firm warning to the newly appointed caretaker committee to stay clear of its party secretariat at Atan Offot, Uyo, threatening legal action against any forced takeover.

Akpan, undeterred by the unfolding chaos, remains defiant stating that, “We will not accept intimidation or unconstitutional shortcuts. Our mandate is valid, and we will defend it to the end.”

With no resolution in sight, the PDP’s house of cards in Akwa Ibom and perhaps nationally appears to be teetering on the edge.