S’East PDP leaders decry crisis over party’s scribe

LP leadership urges reconciliation, commits to national progress
Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the South East geopolitical zone rose from a meeting in Abuja, yesterday, and condemned attempts to plunge the party into more serious crisis ahead of the 2027 general election.

They warned that if the lingering crisis over the position of the party’s national secretary is not immediately resolved, the party could suffer more serious damage in the 2027 election.

Also, the Labour Party (LP) has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering unity and prioritising national and party interests amid recent internal challenges.

Speaking during a solidarity visit by party chairmen from 36 states and the FCT, the National Chairman, Julius Abure, called for reconciliation and a collective focus on the party’s future.

The meeting, which was presided over by PDP’s National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu, and attended by Board of Trustees (BoT) member, Chris Ubah, insisted that there was no basis for disagreement since the party is awaiting the decision of the Supreme Court on the position of the National Secretary.

He clarified that the meeting was called by South East members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of PDP, not the national leadership.

Anyanwu, who took time to explain the genesis of the crisis over his position as national scribe, blamed the National Vice Chairman in South East, Ali Odefa, for what he called political mischief.

According to him, Odefa, who has been expelled as member of the PDP, is not in a position to convene any meeting of PDP members in the South East for any reason.

Six out of the 10 members of the South East Zonal Working Committee (ZWC) attended the meeting.

Anyanwu explained that he called the meeting to provide an inclusive platform after what he described as the exclusion of some stakeholders at a prior meeting presided over by Odefa in Enugu.

He accused Odefa of having misled Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State into demanding his resignation as national secretary over his failed governorship bid in Imo State.

Anyanwu further alleged that the Court of Appeal judgment that declared Sunday Ude-Okoye as the rightful PDP National Secretary was obtained deceitfully. He insisted that his election to the position could only be overturned by the party’s national convention.

ABURE stressed the importance of rising above personal differences to strengthen the party as a vehicle for national development.

“Every family and political party experiences disagreements,” he said. “What defines us is our ability to resolve those differences and emerge stronger. The interests of the party and the nation must always come first.”

The chairman also expressed gratitude to the judiciary for upholding justice and the rule of law in the LP cases.

“We appreciate the judiciary for standing firm on the side of justice,” he noted, adding confidence that the courts would continue to interpret the law fairly in matters concerning the party.

Reiterating the party’s readiness for reconciliation, Abure invited all aggrieved members to return to the fold.
“Our doors remain open for dialogue and healing. Together, we can build a formidable force for the good of our nation,” he said.

The state chairmen praised Abure’s leadership in navigating the party through internal crisis that threatened its stability.

Chairman of Enugu LP, Casmir Agbo, commended the chairman for his decisive actions and vision. “Under his leadership, the Labour Party has weathered storms that could have derailed us,” Agbo remarked.

The state chairmen also called on dissenting voices to embrace peace and unity. “We appeal to our brothers to let go of grievances and join hands with the current leadership to reposition the party for success,” Agbo added.