The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday appealed to its South East chapter not to carry out its threat to exit the party over unresolved issues surrounding the position of the National Secretary.
The appeal follows a resolution reached at a recent meeting of the South East PDP caucus in Enugu, where members expressed strong dissatisfaction with the party’s delay in officially recognizing Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary. The caucus warned it could consider severing ties with the PDP if its demand was not addressed.
Receiving the resolution at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, the party’s Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum — represented by the Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja — urged the South East leaders to remain calm and committed to the unity of the party.
Damagum assured the delegation that the concerns raised would be thoroughly reviewed and that justice would be done. He emphasized that the matter would be deliberated upon by the National Working Committee (NWC) and forwarded to the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for next week.
Addressing the delegation, Arapaja said:
> “I understand your frustration. But in any political family, disagreements are inevitable. This is a party of the people — where every voice matters. Let’s not abandon our house simply because the roof is leaking. Together, we can fix it.”
He described the PDP as a democratic platform where members can freely express their views and urged the South East not to allow the disagreement weaken their longstanding commitment to the party.
> “This is a zone that has always stood with the PDP. You have made sacrifices for the party. I believe we will find a solution that restores confidence and morale.”
Earlier, the leader of the South East PDP caucus and Senate Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu, formally presented the region’s resolution, reaffirming their unanimous endorsement of Rt. Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye — a former National Youth Leader of the party — as their preferred candidate for the role of National Secretary.
Ngwu reminded the NWC that the South East remains a stronghold of the PDP, having consistently delivered electoral victories in past elections, and urged the party not to ignore the zone’s request.
> “We’re not creating a new precedent. There are examples in the past where NWC members were replaced based on zonal consensus. We ask for fairness. This is about reviving the confidence of our people and charting a path of recovery for the PDP,” Ngwu said.
He appealed to the leadership to treat the matter on its merit and act in the collective interest of the party’s future, warning that failure to address the issue could alienate one of PDP’s most loyal zones.
The PDP is expected to make a decision on the matter at its NEC meeting in the coming days.
