The South-East Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued a warning to reassess its affiliation with the party if its endorsement of Sunday Ude-Okoye for the position of national secretary is not acknowledged. This announcement was made following a meeting at the government house in Enugu, the capital of Enugu State, on Wednesday. During the reading of the communique, the zonal chairman, Ali Odefa, emphasized that the South-East has been a steadfast bastion of the PDP, demonstrating unwavering loyalty to the party since its establishment, even as members from other regions have defected.
Furthermore, the group urged the National Working Committee to honor its decision and allow the Deputy National Secretary of the PDP to serve as the Acting National Secretary until the nominee for the National Secretary position is ratified by the National Executive Committee (NEC), in accordance with the recommendations from the PDP Governors’ Forum as accepted by the NWC. The South-East ZEC thoroughly discussed the NWC’s directive and concluded that it provided a viable route to achieving peace, unity, stability, and progress within the party. As a result, the ZEC unanimously put forth Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the candidate to fulfill the remaining term of the National Secretary.
The South-East caucus has warned that it may reconsider its ongoing membership in the party if its stance is further postponed, despite its long-standing allegiance to the PDP. The South-East has been a crucial support base for the PDP since its inception, and throughout the nearly thirty years of the party’s existence, it has demonstrated loyalty and commitment. Presently, while the party has been experiencing a decline in key membership following the 2023 general elections, the South-East PDP is actively working to reinforce the party by integrating significant opposition figures, such as the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate in Enugu, two Labour Party House of Representatives members, and numerous members of the House of Assembly, among other prominent individuals, into the PDP.
Consequently, we express our hope that this time, the South East PDP’s stance on the National Secretary position receives the respect and urgency it warrants. This would effectively resolve the unnecessary ongoing conflict regarding this issue.
Nevertheless, should the Party fail to promptly act on our position, the South East PDP, as a collective, will be forced to reassess our affiliation with the PDP in the future,” the statement concluded.
A conflict has arisen between Ude-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu concerning the role of PDP National Secretary, with both individuals asserting their claims to the position
