The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Southeast Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) has issued a strong warning to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), insisting that it must affirm Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary or risk losing the support of the zone.
This warning came in a communique released after a meeting of the Southeast ZEC held on Wednesday at the Government House, Enugu.
Signed by the Zonal Chairman of the PDP in the Southeast, Chief Ali Odefa, the communique stated that failure to honour the zone’s right to present a nominee for the office zoned to it would force the Southeast PDP to reconsider its relationship with the party.
According to the communique:
“The South East Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, met at the Government House, Enugu, Enugu State, today, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, to deliberate on the issue of the Office of the National Secretary of the Party.”
It referenced the Supreme Court’s March 21, 2025 judgment, which dismissed the legal battle over the National Secretary position, affirming that such matters fall under the internal affairs of the party and are beyond the jurisdiction of the courts and INEC.
“Following the consideration of the report of the panel it set up to review the Supreme Court judgement, the PDP Governors’ Forum, at its April 14, 2025 meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, recommended that the South East PDP should nominate a candidate who would serve out the remaining tenure of the National Secretary of the Party zoned to the region.”
The communique further noted that the National Working Committee (NWC), at its 600th meeting on April 29, 2025, upheld the Governors’ Forum’s recommendation and directed the Southeast ZEC to nominate a candidate.
“Today’s meeting was therefore convened in accordance with this directive. Rising from the meeting, the ZEC resolved to issue the following communique:
‘The South East ZEC exhaustively deliberated on the directive of the NWC and came to the conclusion that it offered a sure pathway to peace, unity, stability, and progress of our party. Consequently, the ZEC unanimously recommended Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the candidate to complete the term of office of the National Secretary.’”
In addition to reaffirming its earlier decisions, the ZEC also urged the NWC to ensure that the Deputy National Secretary continues in an acting capacity until the NEC formally ratifies Udeh-Okoye’s nomination.
“We also urge the NWC to uphold its decision at its 600th meeting on April 29, 2025, by ensuring that the Deputy National Secretary of the PDP functions as the Acting National Secretary pending the ratification of the nominee for the Office of the National Secretary by NEC in line with the recommendations of the PDP Governors’ Forum as adopted by the NWC.”
The communique expressed frustration over the repeated process the Southeast has undergone to fill the position.
“The South East ZEC further noted that the zone has had to go through this process for the umpteenth time, unlike what obtains in the filling of vacant national offices by other zones. It is recalled that the South East ZEC met in October 2023 and nominated Rt Hon. Udeh-Okoye to serve out the remaining term of the National Secretary. This position was reaffirmed during the February 20, 2024, meeting of the PDP South ZEC. We also reiterated this during the meeting of ZEC in Enugu on Friday, January 25, 2025.”
The ZEC emphasized the Southeast’s long-standing loyalty to the PDP.
“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. Currently, while the party has been losing key members post-2023 general election, the South East PDP is at the vanguard of strengthening the party by rallying major opposition figures into the PDP fold.”
“In Enugu State, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party is back in the PDP. Two members of the House of Representatives are equally back in the PDP from the Labour Party. Furthermore, PDP seats in the Enugu State House of Assembly have grown from 10 at the inception of the Assembly to 20 today.”
They urged the national leadership to respect the zone’s decision and act without delay.
“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.
This would bring to a closure the needless lingering dispute over the matter. 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.”
