By Tajudeen Balogun
The former Senate President Bukola Saraki-led reconciliation panel of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been given a list of conditions targeted at stopping the rash of defections currently hitting the first opposition party in Nigeria.
The New Diplomat learnt that the conditions were handed over to the panel, during a closed-door meeting between the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, and the Saraki panel at the weekend in Enugu.
The choice of Enugu, The New Diplomat gathered might not be unconnected with the seeming stability in the South East State chapter of the party and the fact that Mbah is the leader of the PDP in the zone, which before now used to be the party’s stronghold.
Among the terms The New Diplomat checks revealed was that the caucus allegedly insisted that the National Youth Leader, Mr Sunday Ude-Okoye, must be retained as the party’s National Secretary.
The group also warned that the party would likely lose its grip on the South-East, if the leadership failed to address the concerns of stakeholders from the zone.
It was learnt that the meeting was part of efforts to stem the wave of defections rocking the party, especially in the South-South and South-East zones.
Speaking at the meeting, the former Senate President who had served in the same capacity in the build up to the 2023 Presidential election said: “Frankly, we had a very useful discussion. We are going away with some of the suggestions that we have here and hopefully will work on that.”
A source indicated that Mbah lamented that the zone had not been treated fairly in party affairs, complaining that the South-East, which had for years been a strong pillar of support for the party, has been unjustly treated.
The source revealed: “The governor told the panel that, as a condition to sustain the dominance of the party in the region, the PDP must retain Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary instead of Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
“He lamented that the zone had not been given due recognition in party affairs
The Governor reminded the panel that the South-East, led by the then Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, stood firm and brought back PDP on a strong footing when the party had a crisis in 2015. The Governor told the panel that the PDP leadership must give the South-East a prominent role in the party.”
The South-East PDP leaders had on May 14 issued a communique, in which they threatened to dump the party if Udeh-Okoye was not retained as the National Secretary.
The communique which was signed by the Zonal Chairman, Chief Ali Odefa, read among other things: “The South-East has consistently served as a stronghold of the PDP from inception. In its near three-decade existence, we have given our loyalty and all to the party.
“Therefore, we hope that this time around, the position of the South-East PDP regarding the office of the National Secretary is accorded the honour and immediacy it deserves.
“However, in the event that our position is not promptly implemented by the party, the South-East PDP, as a family, will be compelled to reconsider our relationship with the PDP going forward.”
Recall that since 2024, PDP has been enmeshed in a protracted leadership crisis, centred on the position of its National Secretary, involving Anyanwu and Udeh-Okoye.
Anyanwu was originally elected as the PDP National Secretary in 2021, and in addition, contested the Imo State gubernatorial election under the party in 2023.
His participation in the election led to internal wrangling within the party.
While some members that he had automatically vacated his position as the party’s scribe, his loyalists however countered the claim.
Consequently, the National Executive Committee of the PDP asked the South-East, where Anyanwu hails from, to name his replacement.
The zone subsequently nominated Udeh-Okoye as the new PDP scribe, a development that immediately sparked a legal battle between the two tendencies in the party.
Checks by The New Diplomat revealed that the controversial office of the National Secretary, zonal congresses, and the upcoming elective national convention will likely top the agenda at the PDP’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at the Wadata House – party’s headquarters in Abuja.
Alongside the crucial meeting, The New Diplomat was reliably told that various committees would also present their progress reports.
Meanwhile, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba, has confirmed that the NEC meeting would address and resolve all outstanding issues.
