The Southeast PDP zonal executive committee has re-presented as their nominee for the office of National Secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye, or the zone would massively pull out of the party.
Senator Osita Ngwu, who read the communique of the Southeast caucus read and handed over their position to Arapaja said, “Mr. Chairman, on the 14th of May, 2025, the Southeast Zonal Executive Committee met at Enugu State Government House and a forum was fully formed.
“After the meeting, a committee was raised and the reason why we visited here today is to make a presentation of the communique that was issued at the end of the meeting.
‘’Mr. Chairman, if you recall, on March 31st, 2025, the Supreme Court, which is the apex court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, brought to a closure the protracted issue surrounding the puzzle of the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“Following that judgment of the Supreme Court, the PDP Governors’ Forum also met in Oyo State on the 14th of April, 2025, and passed a resolution. You can also recall that here, at the National Office on April 29th, the National Working Committee met and adopted that resolution of the governor’s forum.
“And what is that resolution? The resolution is that the South East Zonal Executive Committee should meet and nominate a candidate that will fill in the position of the National Secretary. Mr. Chairman, I need to remind us, or make it clear, that the position of the South East on this issue has always been to find a pathway to a lasting resolution of the impacts and crisis in the PDP.
“And also, in all intent and purpose, to ensure that this party continues to progress well. We are looking for a lasting peace so that we can perform better in the upcoming and subsequent election.
‘’Mr. Chairman, from our communique, which is in this report that I am going to hand over to you, and in the meeting that was recently held by the South East Executive Committee of the party at the Zonal Office, we unanimously agreed and nominated the former youth leader of the party, Rt. Honorable S.K. Ude-Okoye, to be our nominee for the position of the National Secretary of our great party, the PDP.”
Continuing, he said, ‘’Mr. Chairman, we are going to give you this report, and our prayers and our urge and our appeal is that this party should carefully look through even other precedents that have been set in replacement of National Working Committee members or other officers of the committee of the PDP that has been done. We are not trying to set a precedent. We are not trying to do a new thing because precedent has been set.’
‘’We are asking you to look at a zone, who has been the backdrop and backbone of the PDP, a zone who has delivered all the National Assembly members, all governors to the PDP in the past, a zone that is eager to redeem its past glory. We are praying that the request of this zone should not be jeopardized. Let us look at it based on the point of its merits.
‘’Let it be a stepping stone in our urge and our drive to reposition our party. We are not here to make another request, but we are speaking to our consciences so that whatever decision that is taken at the end should be for the interest of the party and a position that is going to support us, a position that is going to lift the morale of the members of this great party towards a sustainable growth and a path of recovery.’’
In the last paragraph of the communique, the caucus however threatened that there would be a mass defection, if their request was not heeded.
Receiving their position, Arapaja said, ‘’This resolution will be discussed at the end of the day, during our next meeting. We will decide on the way forward, and that decision will be forwarded to the NEC which I am quite sure you know is fast approaching. We will look at it, we will do justice to it, we will do our best.
‘’But, you know, when we transmit it to the NEC, which I am quite sure most of the members are present there, some of our leaders who are not here as well, who are members of NEC as well, so we can find a lasting solution jointly to it.
‘’But there is something that I read somewhere, but I will ask that you will consider your position with the PDP. You didn’t mention it here but I think everybody already read it. Well, I know you are not happy with the situation, and it’s inevitable in any political party, as big as it this. It’s a natural political practice. We are able to speak, to express our opinion.
‘’I know you are not happy and I understand why you are not happy, but even as you are angry out there, we can find a solution. It’s like a landlord running out of his own house, because the house is leaking. So, we’ll do our best. What we’ll do is to fix the problem, and I know we can do it, together we can do it. There is a solution.
“This is the only party that belongs to the people. Yes, it doesn’t belong to anybody. It’s the only party where you can feel peaceful, you can express your opinion. It’s just like that in any family. So, I want to appeal that. We can do it. We can resolve it. And I know we will resolve it. And I know, and I’m quite sure, that PDP will overcome.
‘’As I said, the resolution will be thoroughly discussed. We’ll do our best and as you know, NEC has the final say,’’ Arspajs stated.
Meanwhile, Udenwa, has declared that the forces behind Anyanwu were not bigger than the South-East Caucus of the party.
Udenwa made the remark while insisting that the South-East Caucus of the PDP stood with Sunday Ude-Okoye as National Secretary.
Featuring on Arise Television’s Programme, Morning Show, the former governor faulted the decision of the committee led by Senate President, Bukola Saraki to recognise Anyanwu as National Secretary.
He insisted that Anyanwu’s tenure ended when he opted to contest the governorship election in Imo State.
“For some time, for over one year, we have been on this issue. The South-East zonal executive committee kept nominating Ude-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary.
“If we are to continue on that line, it’s our prerogative to continue on that line and we have been asked severally to present a candidate and we have done it. If there is any contrary recommendation, then we are left to present our own candidate.
“We do know that the committee should be able to resolve the crisis and it should not come up with what is contrary to the recommendation as this is our candidate.
“As far as we are concerned, Anyanwu’s tenure ended when he opted to contest for governorship. He gave up his position as National Secretary and it’s left for us as the South-East Caucus to represent another candidate.
“We have done that three times now – if our presentation is being turned down, it means nobody wants us to make presentation again and we have made our position very clear.
“I don’t believe that whatever forces are behind Anyanwu are stronger than the South-East Caucus of the party. It can never be because the South-East Caucus is an established zone within the party. If that caucus takes a decision, it’s binding and our recommendation to the national can’t be taken away.
“Wike is a member of the party, NEC and a former governor of the party, so that is as far as his own power goes. I don’t know what extra power he has but whatever such powers may be can never equate to a zonal caucus of the party.
“This party has a constitution and a way of doing things; we can’t arrogate to one man the powers to override what a zone can do. I don’t know any man within the party with such powers,” Udenwa said.
PDP Senators: Our Party Waxing Strong
PDP senators have declared that contrary to claims by their colleagues who recently defected to the ruling APC, their party remained strong and would continue to wax stronger.
Rising from its meeting at the National Assembly, the Senate PDP Caucus, in a statement, assured the people that there was no crisis in the main opposition party.
They specifically said, “Contrary to insinuations that the party is in shreds and on the verge of collapse, our party remains strong and will continue to wax stronger. The PDP Senate Caucus observes that the current conflicts in the PDP is not unique to the party.
“All the other parties such as the All Progressives Congress, the Labour Party, the New Nigeria Peoples’ Party, the Social Democratic Party, among others, have their own shares of crisis and conflicts.
“The Senate Caucus of the PDP, therefore, urges all our teaming members to remain resolute in their commitment, dedication, and loyalty to the Party.
“The Caucus believes that the series of activities lined up by the leadership of the Party will throw up a new lease of life and leadership in the Party that will make it competitive in future elections.
“The Senate Caucus of the PDP states further that the beauty of democracy is in the existence of robust opposition to keep the ruling party in check to ensure good governance.
“Celebrating of the emasculation of other parties and tilting towards a one party state will not advance the cause of democracy. The Senate Caucus of the PDP states that it is not averse to the idea and ideals of coalition.
“The Caucus observes the synthesisation of ideas and creating a harmony of ideals will further the beauty of democracy. However, the Caucus advises that any such coalition should be driven by political parties and not individuals.
“As the biggest of all the opposition parties, the PDP’s Umbrella is big enough to accommodate all persons desirous of Coalition. The Peoples Democratic Party, therefore, should drive the Coalition if and when it becomes necessary.
“Finally, the Senate Caucus of the PDP states emphatically that the party is a big brand that is competitive. In all nooks and crannies of Nigeria, there are PDP members.”
Emmanuel Addeh, Chuks Okocha and Sunday Aborisade
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