The situation rocking the Peoples Democratic Celebration intensifies, because the camp of the previous Rivers Atmosphere Governor, Nyesom Wike, rejects the South-South Zonal Caretaker Committee introduced by way of the Nationwide Running Committee.
The PDP Nationwide Vice Chairman for the South-South, Dan Orbih, together with every other chief from Wike’s camp who most popular to stay nameless, unwanted the movements taken by way of the Umar Damagum-led NWC.
Orbih and the supply completely advised The PUNCH that the observation used to be issued with out the NWC’s esteem.
The improvement comes because the celebration, once more, suspense its Nationwide Government Committee assembly.
The NEC used to be at first mounted for March 13, then a number of postponements for the reason that utmost NEC used to be held in April 2024. It’s now rescheduled for Might 15.
The Rivers Atmosphere Top Courtroom in Port Harcourt, on February 21, 2025, issued a restraining sequence combating the PDP and the Nationwide Vice Chairman for South-South, Orbih, from preserving the zonal congress on February 22, 2025.
The claimants in go well with quantity PHC/551/CS/2025 had been PDP participants from Rivers Atmosphere, Tonu Ejiogu and Ground Nkor.
In spite of the courtroom’s ruling, the celebration went forward with the congress on February 22.
The chairman of the electoral committee, Vita Abba, introduced that Orbih gained the election with 174 votes. Alternative elected officers had been Alabah Turnah (Secretary), Evelyn Weke (Treasurer), Ijeoma Obani (Monetary Secretary), Timothy Okwoche (Establishing Secretary), Iyrneri Briggs (Prison Abettor), Prince Etim Isong (Exposure Secretary), Loveday Abaribote (Auditor), Phenomena Esubok (Lady Chief), and Patrick Asuquo (Formative years Chief).
The Minister of the Federal Capital Space, Wike, who supported and attended the congress in Calabar, Go River Atmosphere, described the South-South because the PDP’s most powerful bottom, saying that deny additional congress can be held within the area.
Wike maintained that the zonal congress used to be legally carried out and that Orbih remained the Nationwide Vice Chairman.
In regards to the 4 South-South governors who abstained from the congress, the PDP distanced itself from the Calabar match and said it will announce a pristine occasion for the zonal congresses in due month.
Ignoring Wike’s place, the Damagum-led NWC appointed Emma Ogidi because the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee on March 7 and, on March 9, the celebration mounted April 12 because the pristine occasion for the South-South zonal congress.
In an unique interview with The PUNCH, Orbih denied any wisdom of the caretaker committee, alleging that it used to be created by way of Ologunagba to lie to the South-South leaders.
He said “No one has communicated that caretaker factor to me. I feel there’s a chap referred to as Debo Ologunagba who’s now humorous himself, issuing statements and claiming to be issuing them in the name of the NWC. I will inform you with all sure bet that there used to be deny assembly of the NWC the place any such conclusion used to be reached.
“Ologunagba is doing this to keep away from embarrassment for the celebration. He’s starting to embarrass all the PDP management. That observation concerning the caretaker committee will have to no longer be given any consideration. It will have to be left out by way of the nice crowd of the South-South.
“I know some of Ologunagba’s challenges, but my advice to him is not to use personal challenges to continue to embarrass the party.”
He requested celebration leaders within the zone and the ones named as caretaker committee participants to forget the observation signed by way of Ologunagba.
“The ones whose names had been indexed are celebration participants they usually come from my zone. They will have to learn the Charter very obviously and no longer permit themselves to be worn. So, the South-South leaders will have to forget the Ologunagba observation, which used to be no longer signed.
“They should be guided by the constitution; their allegiance is to the constitution of the party and not Ologunagba’s press release. Those pronouncements are in conflict with the provisions of the constitution, so they should be disregarded,” he added.
Any other supply claimed that some NWC participants had been intent on destroying the PDP and pinning the blame on Wike.
Alike to Orbih’s observation, the supply visible that deny NWC assembly have been held the place such selections had been made.
He said “What they did within the South-South, the caretaker committee that used to be arrange, used to be no longer a call of the NWC.
“I can tell you that the NWC did not meet on any matter of that nature. They are determined to destroy the PDP for their selfish gains, and later they will blame Wike for it.”
In reaction, Ologunagba advised The PUNCH in an unique interview that the celebration had knowledgeable the related people about its resolution in regards to the South-South.
“The party has made a decision, and it has been communicated to those concerned. There is nothing more to say beyond what was stated in the statement,” he mentioned.
When requested to elaborate on Orbih’s allegations in opposition to him, Ologunagba refused to remark.
In the meantime, every other supply from the anti-Wike camp, dependable to the chairman of the PDP Governors Discussion board and Bauchi Atmosphere Governor, Bala Mohammed, and Oyo Atmosphere Governor Seyi Makinde, visible that the South-South zonal caretaker committee and the April 12 occasion had been introduced following the esteem of the 4 governors from the zone.
The supply, which sought to stay nameless, said “What I will inform you is this resolution used to be no longer made by way of Ologunagba. The observation displays the placement of the vast majority of NWC participants.
“Why? Since the nationwide management didn’t habits the Calabar congress. Performing unloved, Orbih decided on his loyalists to lend at the congress committee, supervised the method, and declared himself and others as winners. This is unwelcome and is going in opposition to the PDP’s charter.
“Additionally, don’t omit that the Governors of Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers states had been absent as a result of they knew it used to be an unlawful collecting.
“So, the NWC, after consulting with the four South-South governors and other stakeholders, announced the caretaker committee to avoid a vacuum, as Orbih’s tenure ended today, Sunday, March 9, along with the new date for the South-South zonal congress.”
In aid of the NWC and PDP governors, the Convention of Pros within the PDP hailed the appointment of the caretaker committee for the South-South zonal management as a good proceed.
The gang, in a observation issued on Sunday by way of its Protem Nationwide Coordinator, Obinna Nwachukwu, said that the appointment fell throughout the NWC’s powers as defined in Division 29(2)(b) and in response to Categories 31(2)(c) and (j) of the PDP Charter (as amended in 2017), to cancel any management vacuum within the zonal bankruptcy.
“The appointment of the South-South zonal caretaker committee by the party’s National Working Committee is constitutional and a step taken in the right direction to ensure the unity and stability of the party in the zone,” the observation mentioned.
Confirming the rescheduling of the NEC assembly to Might 15, a worthy supply, who asked to stay nameless as he used to be no longer approved to talk at the factor, said that the assembly used to be suspense on account of the continued litigation in regards to the nationwide secretary of the celebration.
The supply mentioned the leaders assuredly to extend the assembly till the topic used to be resolved by way of the Preferrred Courtroom.
Since Umar Damagum took over as performing nationwide chairman then the courtroom’s removing of Senator Iyorchia Ayu, he has confronted rising complaint from celebration leaders.
The complaint has been fuelled by way of the continued situation throughout the PDP, with expanding requires his retirement amid the unrest.
All the way through the 98th NEC assembly on April 18, 2024, celebration leaders had been not able to get to the bottom of a number of crucial problems. Because of this, the situation throughout the celebration has since deepened, impacting the surrounding and zonal chapters, and inflicting important section throughout the NWC.
The 98th NEC assembly additionally all set the occasion for the 99th NEC assembly for August 15, to handle unresolved issues. Alternatively, this assembly used to be first suspense to October 24, 2024, upcoming rescheduled for November 28, 2024, and after all suspense indefinitely.
In reaction, the PDP Governors Discussion board suggested the NWC in December 2024 to safeguard the NEC assembly used to be held by way of February 2025 on the fresh.
On December 5, 2024, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, raised considerations that the continuing delays had been undermining the agree with and self belief of PDP participants.
To safeguard the assembly used to be held promptly, the PDP Governors Discussion board, right through their assembly in Asaba, Delta Atmosphere, on January 31, proposed March 13 for the NEC assembly.
The supply said “The primary explanation why for the postponement of the NEC is the continued litigation in regards to the PDP Nationwide Secretary. The leaders need the topic resolved ahead of the NEC.
“So, they agreed to postpone the meeting for this reason and also to allow more time to discuss other party issues.”
Talking on the cause of the postponement, the PDP’s Nationwide Secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye, mentioned it used to be vital because of the pending zonal, surrounding, native govt and ward congresses, in addition to to permit for alternative consultations to safeguard the graceful habits of the assembly.
The observation learn “Outstanding participants of the Nationwide Government Committee (NEC) would possibly recall that then due deliberation by way of celebration leaders, stakeholders and related organs of the celebration, the NEC assembly used to be scheduled to be hung on Wednesday, March 13, 2025.
“Alternatively, following rising problems, together with the want to conclude our pending zonal, surrounding, LG and ward congresses in addition to to permit for additional session to safeguard hitch-free habits of the assembly, particularly in regards to alternative proposed actions of our celebration, the NWC, then due session with leaders, stakeholders and related organs of the celebration together with the Board of Trustees (BoT), the PDP Governors’ Discussion board and the PDP Nationwide Meeting Caucus, hereby needs to inform outstanding participants of NEC that the 99th NEC assembly previous scheduled for Wednesday, March 13, 2025 has been unavoidably shifted to Thursday, Might 15, 2025.
“All NEC participants will have to please word the trade of occasion and be guided accordingly.
“The NWC sincerely regrets any inconveniences this change of date will cause distinguished members of NEC.”
In reaction, the embattled Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, suggested celebration participants to forget about the postponement observation signed by way of Ude-Okoye, stressing that he didn’t recognise him because the celebration’s nationwide secretary.
In a observation he signed on Sunday because the PDP Nationwide Secretary, Anyanwu said that the pristine occasion for the 99th NEC assembly can be communicated in the end and as it should be.
The observation learn partly “My consideration has been attracted to a deceptive letter at the above subject material signed by way of Rt. Hon S. Ok. E. Udeh Okoye within the designation of PDP Nationwide Secretary.
“Our celebration leaders, NEC participants, BOT, Governors Discussion board and the overall population are hereby instructed to forget the purported letter because it emanates from a non-official and authoritative supply. The mentioned Udeh Okoye isn’t the Nationwide Secretary of our expensive celebration and used to be by no means in any NWC assembly the place he used to be mandated to factor such understand.
“Udeh Okoye will have to remember that he’s beneath a restraining sequence of the courtroom of competent jurisdiction to ban parading himself because the Nationwide Secretary of PDP pending the resolution of the enchantment mendacity ahead of the apex courtroom of the population.
“The issuance of an authentic letter of the PDP within the name of the Nationwide Secretary quantities to general disobedience to the guideline of regulation and an occupation contemptuous of the sequence of the judiciary.
“It’s discoverable from the habits of Udeh Okoye that he’s an agent all set to spoil the celebration. He’s, due to this fact, warned to chorus from additional acts that have a tendency to undermine the diversion and balance of the celebration and once more impugn the integrity of the judiciary.
“Nothing coming from the said Udeh Okoye is recognised by law. He is only putting the party to public ridicule.”
He mentioned the rescheduled occasion for the NEC assembly can be communicated accordingly and as it should be.