As internal discord continues to rock Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the South-East caucus has delivered a clear message to the Bukola Saraki-led reconciliation committee: resolve the leadership injustice or risk mass defection from the region.
At a high-stakes South-East caucus meeting held Friday at the Enugu State Government House, chaired by Governor Peter Mbah, the South-East leaders laid out non-negotiable conditions to the visiting Saraki panel. Central to their demands is the retention of Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the party’s substantive National Secretary.
According to sources privy to the closed-door session, Governor Mbah expressed the caucus’s deep frustration over what he described as the continued marginalisation of the South-East in the PDP’s national affairs. He insisted that the zone, a historical stronghold of the party, deserved more than token inclusion in leadership roles.
“The governor reminded the committee that it was the South-East, under Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s leadership, that stood with the PDP during its toughest era in 2015. He warned that failing to honour the zone now would be a betrayal of that loyalty,” a source told our correspondent.
Insisting on Udeh-Okoye’s retention, the South-East caucus argued that his removal and the alleged imposition of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary would further fracture the party’s base in the region.
The crisis over the position of National Secretary is a lingering wound that has festered within the PDP since 2023. Senator Anyanwu, originally elected into the office in 2021, vacated the role when he contested the Imo State gubernatorial election. His departure created a leadership vacuum which the South-East sought to fill by nominating Udeh-Okoye.
However, the move triggered a legal battle and internal friction. Despite a Supreme Court ruling and the South-East’s firm stance, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has yet to officially ratify Udeh-Okoye’s position. Instead, Setonji Koshoedo, the Deputy National Secretary, has been appointed in an acting capacity by PDP governors, further inflaming tensions.
The long-awaited 99th NEC meeting of the PDP, scheduled for May 27, is expected to serve as a turning point in resolving the party’s leadership crisis. According to party insiders, the agenda will be packed with pivotal discussions, including the disputed National Secretary role, upcoming zonal congresses, and a proposed early national convention in August.
A source in the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), who requested anonymity, told our correspondent that the leadership is under immense pressure to hold the meeting as scheduled, to prevent further erosion of party unity.
“There’s no more time for postponement. Every day the crisis festers, we lose ground—especially in the South-East and South-South,” the source said. “The NEC meeting will be intense but decisive. All lingering issues will be tabled, and we hope to reach a resolution.”
While Saraki described the meeting in Enugu as “frank and productive,” it’s clear the reconciliation committee has a daunting task ahead. Beyond the South-East, PDP is grappling with a wider trust deficit among its stakeholders, including aggrieved governors, Board of Trustees members, and youth groups.
The reconciliation panel, constituted by the PDP Governors Forum in April, is expected to submit its final report before the NEC meeting. However, insiders suggest the panel may recommend a political compromise involving an inclusive leadership structure that acknowledges zonal grievances.
The outcome of the NEC meeting and the resolution of the Secretary dispute could have long-term implications for the PDP’s positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections. Analysts believe failure to appease the South-East may trigger a wave of defections to rival parties, especially the Labour Party and All Progressives Congress (APC), both of which are already gaining traction in the region.
Political analyst Emeka Nwachukwu told our correspondent, “This is not just about a party position. It’s about power-sharing, trust, and the future of the PDP in one of its most loyal zones. If mishandled, it could mark the beginning of the end for PDP dominance in the South-East.”
Ahead of the May 27 NEC, the National Working Committee plans to hold a series of strategic pre-meetings. These include sessions with the Board of Trustees, the PDP Governors Forum, and a National Caucus meeting scheduled for May 26. The aim, according to National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, is to ensure that the NEC meeting proceeds smoothly and resolves all major disputes.
“Politics is about interest, but PDP has always had strong internal mechanisms to deal with its challenges. The NEC will sort out the issues,” Ologunagba assured.
With the clock ticking toward the crucial NEC meeting, all eyes are on how the PDP manages its internal rifts, especially in the embattled South-East. For the Saraki-led committee and Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, the mission is clear: restore party unity—or risk political disintegration ahead of 2027.