Mbah: South-east will review its membership of PDP if crisis persists

Peter Mbah, governor of Enugu, says the south-east reserves the right to review its membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if the party does not sort itself out. 

In a communique issued on May 14 at the end of a meeting held in Enugu, the PDP south-east zonal executive committee said it “unanimously” recommended Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the party’s national secretary.

The communique signed by Ali Odefa, the PDP zonal chairman in the south-east, said it will review its relationship with the party if it is sidelined from producing the national secretary.

The south-east PDP also asked the national working committee (NWC) to uphold its April 29 decision, adding that the deputy should serve as acting secretary until there is a substantive one.

‘I’M FED UP WITH THE CIRCUS’

Speaking to journalists on Sunday after a closed-door meeting at the Enugu government house, Mbah warned that the region could exit the PDP.

Mbah said the stance of the NWC, the Board of Trustees (BoT), and the south-east zonal executive committee (ZEC) on ongoing party disputes reflect the frustration within the zone.

He also expressed support for the national executive committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for June 30.

Reaffirming his membership of the party, Mbah said he was “simply fed up with the shenanigans that have more or less made the party an endless circus”.

Mbah insisted that the zone’s position on the national secretary seat must not be ignored.

“For the record, just as I stated during my interactive session with Fellows and Members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Enugu at the weekend, while I am still a member of the PDP, the south-east — and that includes me — reserves the right to review our continued membership of the party if the party is unwilling to put its house in order,” he said.

“That was invariably the position adopted during our last south-east zonal meeting held here in Enugu.

“During that meeting, the caucus noted that the party should not disregard the zone’s stand regarding the national secretary position.

“To all intents and purposes, this has obviously not been the case. So, there is no doubt as to where I stand on the matter.

“The position of the south-east with respect to the national secretaryship of the party as issued in that communiqué is sacrosanct.”

Among those who attended the meeting were Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo; Adolphus Wabara, PDP BoT chairman; Odefa; and other party stakeholders.

Okwesilieze Nwodo, former PDP national chairman; Sam Egwu, Ben Obi, Josephine Anenih, and Udeh-Okoye were also in the hall.

BACKGROUND

Last week, Umar Damagum, acting national chairman of the PDP, said Anyanwu would resume as the party’s national secretary.

Present at the briefing were Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi and chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum; Abba Moro, senator representing Benue south and minority leader of the senate; along with other party officials.

Damagum also stated that the meeting initially scheduled for June 30 has been cancelled.

Anyanwu, an associate of Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), was affirmed after members of the PDP NWC and several governors met with Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and other senior officials.

But in a joint statement released last Wednesday, 11 NWC members said Anyanwu was not reinstated as the party’s scribe and that the NEC meeting will be held on June 30.

Anyanwu, Udeh-Okoye, and Setonji Koshoedo have each laid claim to the PDP national secretary position.