The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Iliya Damagum, and Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah were among prominent members who notably boycotted the South East stakeholders’ meeting held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.

The meeting, convened by embattled National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, was announced on Monday, claiming to be a gathering of the National Working Committee (NWC) with South East stakeholders, including Governor Mbah, the sole PDP governor in the zone.

However, while opening the meeting, Anyanwu clarified that it was actually called by South East members of the PDP NWC, not the national leadership.

Despite this, key South East representatives in the NWC, including the National Vice Chairman (South East), Chief Ali Odefa, and National Auditor Obi Okechukwu, were also absent.

Six out of the 10 members of the South East Zonal Working Committee 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.

“I decided to summon this meeting so that everyone will have the opportunity to voice their opinion,” Anyanwu said.

He accused Chief Odefa of misleading Governor Mbah into demanding his resignation as national secretary over his failed governorship bid in Imo State.

He also alleged that Chief Odefa has been sacked as a member of the party by his ward and so ceases to be a member of the PDP.

Anyanwu further alleged that the Appeal Court 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.

Anyanwu, who has appealed the court judgment to the Supreme Court and secured a stay of execution, maintained that he remains the party’s national secretary until the convention scheduled for December. He urged Ude-Okoye to exercise patience until then.

The meeting was disowned by the PDP’s National Working Committee. Speaking to journalists on Monday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated that the meeting had not been’approved by the NWC.

He reaffirmed that the South East stakeholders had already concluded a successful meeting in Enugu last Friday, led by Governor Mbah.

“I am not aware of any meeting scheduled by the NWC with the stakeholders of the party in the South East Zone,” Ologunagba said. “Last Friday, the zone held a very successful meeting where all critical stakeholders, led by Governor Peter Mbah, were present.

“If the NWC were to hold a meeting with any organ, zone, or unit of the party, I, as the National Publicity Secretary, would be informed. To the best of my knowledge, no such meeting has been scheduled or approved. This rumoured meeting remains just that—a rumour.”

Chief Ali Odefa also dismissed the meeting, reiterating that no such gathering was authorised. In a statement signed by him, Odefa stated that South East stakeholders had already met in Enugu and unanimously resolved all issues related to the planned South East Zonal Congress.

His statement read: “My attention has been drawn to a purported invitation of critical South East stakeholders of the PDP to a meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

“As the National Vice Chairman (South East) and member of the NWC representing the South East, I hereby authoritatively state that no such meeting is scheduled between the South East stakeholders and the NWC.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP South East, at the Zonal Committee (ZEC) meeting attended by all South East critical stakeholders in Enugu, Enugu State, on Friday, January 25, 2025, discussed and unanimously agreed on all matters related to the planned South East Zonal Congress.

“All PDP South East critical stakeholders, staff of the National Secretariat of the PDP, and the media should therefore disregard the purported invitation to a meeting of the South East stakeholders with the NWC, as no such meeting was scheduled.”

Meanwhile, the meeting resolved to remove Chief Ali Odefa as the PDP National Vice Chairman (South East) and nominated Chidiebere Goodluck to complete his tenure.

This decision came after a motion was moved by Owen Owen and seconded by Mrs Okpo Franca Chinyere.

Senator Anyanwu put the motion to a voice vote and ruled in favour of those supporting the resolution.

The discord surrounding the South East stakeholders meeting is a symptom of the broader leadership crisis in the PDP, marked by a power tussle between Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye. (Nigerian Tribune)