BREAKING: PDP Governors Rally to Save Party, Demand NEC Meeting by March 13

In a last-ditch effort to save the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from self-annihilation, governors under the party met on Friday 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.

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.”