The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has defied Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, by forming a caretaker committee in the South-South geopolitical zone. In a statement on Friday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) made the decision to prevent a leadership vacuum after the zonal executive’s tenure expires on March 9, 2025. This move comes despite a Rivers State High Court ruling in Port Harcourt, which restrained the PDP and South-South National Vice Chairman, Dan Orbih, from holding a zonal congress. The suit, marked PHC/551/CS/2025, was filed by Rivers PDP members Tonu Ejiogu and Field Nkor. However, PDP proceeded with the congress in Calabar, Cross River State, where Wike, a key supporter, declared the region as the party’s strongest base and insisted no other congress would be held. The congress saw Orbih re-elected with 174 votes, as announced by the electoral committee chairman, Vita Abba. Despite Wike’s backing of Orbih, the NWC, led by Umar Damagum, appointed Emma Ogidi as Chairman of a new caretaker committee. Other members include Chief Damiete Herbert-Miller (Secretary), Nicholas Ayuwa, Godwin Akpan Udonta, Bekewei Ashanti, Idehen Ebomoyim, and Dame Vivian Ahanmisi. The statement read in part “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has, pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) approved the composition of the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee to manage the affairs of the Party in the Zone from Monday, March 10, 2025. “The decision of the NWC is predicated on the need to avoid any vacuum and ensure the smooth running of the affairs of the Party in the South South Zone at the expiration of the tenure of the current Zonal Executive on Sunday, March 9, 2025” “The committee is to oversee the activities of the party in the zone for a period of three months or until when a new zonal executive is elected in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the PDP.