By Felix Durumbah, Abuja, and Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu
Confusion dogged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria’s South East (SE) region as it elected a new Zonal Executive to man the party’s affairs in the region, with Chief Ali Odefa re-emerging Zonal Chairman.
The election, which took place on Wednesday, February 26, came on a day that the Federal High Court,Abakaliki, Ebonyi State -also in the region -validated Odefa’s expulsion from the party for anti-party activities.
Justice Hilary Oshomah affirmed the decision of the party’s Oguduomwor Ward Executive Committee (Exco) in Onicha Local Government, Ebonyi State, which had booted Odefa out in October, 2024.
However, the zonal election, which took place during the Zonal Congress of the party at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, also saw the emergence of Hon. James Ugwu as the PDP Zonal Secretary; Mrs. Regina Uchebo as Zonal Treasurer; Hon. Cornelius Okey Ugwu as Zonal Organising Secretary; while Madubuike Okoro, Engr. Chigozie Igwe, Barr. Dominic Nwankwo, and Mrs. Ifeyinwa Arodiogbo were elected to the positions of Financial Secretary, Publicity Secretary, Legal Adviser, and Woman Leader, respectively.
Likewise, Godswill Nwanoruo and Ezeanya Augustine were elected Zonal Youth Leader and Auditor, respectively.
Also elected were some Zonal Ex-Officio officers.
Mbah charges SE PDP to reinvent self
Speaking earlier, Governor of Enugu State and Leader of the party in the South-East zone, Dr. Peter Mbah, reminded the party faithful that “election is never an end in itself and neither should the victory arising from it be construed as personal triumphs.”
The governor tasked party members on setting the PDP as a template for good governance, insisting that “democracy abhors excuses – no matter how plausible they sound.”
He added: “We fully understand the demands and expectations of the people in a democratic setting. The bottom line is good governance. This is the ideal to which the PDP has committed to from its inception.
“That is why, for us here in Enugu State, the people remain the centerpiece of government policies. The improvement of their welfare is not a task we regard with levity.
“It reflects in our determination to ensure that the provision of basic services can indeed be taken for granted by the people.
“Democracy is beyond the squabble for office and power. It is about the people. We cannot emphasise that enough.”
He further tasked the party on unity,urging members to reinvent the PDP to restore its past glory in the South-East.
“The party’s greatness derives from its capacity to reinvent itself, and retain its national appeal in the face of challenges. The South-East has always been a bastion of the PDP. We must ensure that it remains so,” he noted.
In his acceptance speech, on behalf of the 21-member Zonal Executive, the Zonal Chairman, Chief Odefa, called for unity, saying it is the only guarantee of PDP’s victory over the federally ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which he accused of bad policies and misgovernance that caused suffering in the land.
In attendance were the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barrister Ifeanyi Ossai; Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu; Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara; Senate Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu; Senator Augustine Akobundu; and Hon. Nnoli Nnaji.
Others were Senator Sam Egwu; National Auditor of the party, Chief Dan Orbih; Council Chairmen led by Hon. Okechukwu Edeh; federal and state lawmakers; state party executives and other delegates from the zone.
Federal High Court upholds Odefa’s expulsion
As the Congress held in Enugu, the Federal High Court in Abakaliki was stamping the expulsion of Odefa from the PDP.
Recall that on October 4, 2024, Odefa was suspended by the Ward Exco for alleged activities that injured the party’s interest.
Irrespective of the suspension, Odefa reportedly carried on in his normal assignment as PDP leader in the zone, thus compelling the Ward Exco to move a gear up to enforce its decision.
It, therefore, raised a disciplinary panel to investigate the allegations and invited Odefa to appear and answer questions –an instruction he allegedly failed to comply with -, hence the expulsion.
The Ward Exco, led by the Chairman, Mr Herbert Ovuta, apparently not done yet, then approached the Federal High Court,Abakaliki, to try and secure judicial stamp to their decision.
The case was marked FHC/AI/CS/182/2024.
In his verdict today, Justice Oshomah said that the expulsion was in order and upheld all reliefs sought by the Ward party leaders, except the request that the court grants the sum of N5 million cost against Odefa.
As of press time, Odefa was yet to react to the court verdict.
Interestingly, the PDP, which controlled most of the five South-East states at the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999, presently boasts of only Enugu State as its bastion.
The APC has two state governors (Imo and Ebonyi), Labour Party (LP) one (Abia), while Anambra State is governed by All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
