PDP Governors Move to Save Party from Crises

*Endorse Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary 

*Advise party’s leadership to hold NEC meeting March 13

*Decry economic hardship, urge FG to rejig macro-economic policies
*Bode George blames personal ambitions of Wike, Atiku for crises in party 

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

In a last-ditch effort to save the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from self-annihilation, governors under the party met yesterday in Asaba, Delta State and took some major decisions that might save the party, including confirming Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary, while taking a swipe at some policies by the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The governors also mandated the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to ensure that they meet at a date not later than March 13, 2025.
This was as a chieftain of the party, Chief Olabode George, called out former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike for allowing their personal ambitions to destroy the party which he described as “nonsense that must stop.”

Furthermore, the governors called on the NWC of the party to implement the judgement of the Court of Appeal on the position of the National Secretary of the party which had pronounced the former National Youth Leader of the party, Udeh-Okoye, as the authentic National Secretary.

The office had been a source of fierce contest between Udeh-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu until a Court of Appeal decision of December 20, 2024, which favoured Udeh-Okoye and restrained Anyanwu from parading himself as occupying that office.

Anyanwu also has a restraining order against Ude- Okoye dated January 13, 2025.
However, in a communiqué of the meeting signed by the Chairman of the PDP governors forum, Senator Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State said, “The Forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the NWC on the position of the National Secretary, and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment; consequently, the Forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgment.”

On the NEC, the communiqué said, “The Forum having examined all the notices required by law to be given to validly convoke NEC advised NWC to reschedule NEC to the thirteenth (13Th) of March 2025.”.
The PDP governors used the occasion to review the performance of member states in particular, and the State of the nation in general, as well as developments in the party, as at the end of 2024; noting the monumental socio-economic, security, infrastructure and other challenges that confronted the nation during the period.

The PDP governors commended Governors of member states for pursuing policies and programmes that not only ameliorated the plight of the people, but were aimed at creating the foundation for sustainable development in their various states.

They noted that the macro-economic policies of the federal government have inflicted hardship and pain on the polity, “therefore the Forum called the federal government to either revisit or rejig its macro-economic policies to ameliorate and or stop the hardship/pains that they have inflicted on Nigerians as no meaningful or impactful achievements in the states will be achieved until the harsh policies were addressed.”

The PDP governors stated further, “While commending the country’s valiant and patriotic Armed Forces and security agencies for maintaining the frontline in securing the country and the gains of our gallant personnel against bandits in parts of the country, the Forum viewed with deep concern, the resurgence of brazen non-state actors. It therefore calls for the strengthening of the nation’s security architecture.”

The PDP governors expressed gratitude to the Host Governor,  Sheriff Oborevwori, the Government and the people of Delta State for their hospitality and friendly disposition that have yielded the successful, well-structured and impactful meeting; even as it equally commends the Governor for the giant strides recorded by his administration in the areas of infrastructure, environmental remediation, people empowerment and combating insecurity.

The PDP governors enjoined Nigerians not to despair in the face of the prevailing hardships with the firm assurance that they remain “committed to returning our great nation to the glorious days of pre-2015 era of manageable costs of living, security of lives and property and greater unity and prosperity for all citizens.”
Meanwhile, weighing in on what he perceived as the problem of the party, George, called out Atiku and Wike over the lingering crisis rocking the opposition party.

 He spoke on Arise News Channel’s ‘The Morning Show’ yesterday.
He described the PDP crisis as depressing, adding that the opposition party was being decimated because of party members’ personal ambitions.

 Tracing the genesis of the crisis to the party’s national convention ahead of the 2023 presidential election, the 79-year-old politician blamed Wike and Atiku, alleging that both of them had committed hara-kiri, a serious offence according to Japanese rating.
 While calling on Atiku and Wike to stop “this nonsense,” he enjoined the party to look inward and stop blaming the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for its woes.
“Throwing tantrums and accusing APC, we are just trying to undermine the issue. We must sit down, all sides of the divides. Both Atiku and Wike have committed hara-kiri, and we must be bold enough to tell them enough of this nonsense,” George said.

Preferring solutions to the issue, the Lagos-based politician urged the PDP leaders to set up a committee to investigate the matter and sanction any member who has committed serious offences.
“We have to set up a committee to x-ray the mess that started on that convention day, and we sought it out. Anybody guilty of any serious offenses must be dealt with. It’s not a private concern, and we have no apology; if you are a member of an organisation, there are rules and regulations on what you should do, follow them; if you can’t follow the regulations and you think you can manoeuvre A to B for your sustenance, then we ease you out,” he insisted