Venatius Ikem, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State, expressed regret over the party’s defeat in the 2023 governorship election, attributing the loss to internal conflicts and disunity.
During a stakeholders meeting in Calabar, Ikem emphasized that the party’s divisions were a significant factor in their electoral setback.
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Acknowledging past successes, Ikem admitted that complacency had taken hold and stressed the need for restructuring.
“We went into an election with a divided house, and a divided house can not stand. As a party, we’ve enjoyed unprecedented success and we took that for granted.
“This party remains strong at the grassroots. I take responsibility for the outcome of the last election and the way things turned out.
“We’re going back to rejig our party. We are going to put things in place. I am not proud to be a chairman who lost elections in the state, but I am proud that I come from a zone where we did a bit differently.
“Let’s look beyond personal interests, there are challenges we need to overcome. We need to reason with one another. There’s still enthusiasm for the PDP and we will definitely bounce back.”
He assured members of plans to rejuvenate the party, emphasizing its grassroots strength and expressing a commitment to overcoming personal interests and internal challenges.
Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe from Cross River North praised party members for their resilience and highlighted that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was not immune to errors, suggesting that such missteps could benefit the PDP in future contests.
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“Let’s look beyond personal interests, there are challenges we need to overcome. We need to reason with one another. There’s still enthusiasm for the PDP and we will definitely bounce back.”
Prof. Sandy Onor, the PDP’s 2023 governorship candidate, encouraged members to remain hopeful, expressing confidence in the party’s ability to recover and regain its footing in subsequent elections.
