•Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State
Political Crisis is brewing within the South-East wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as prominent leaders in the zone have strongly condemned Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, over what they describe as an orchestrated plot to destabilise the party and subvert constitutional authority.
In a statement released yesterday and signed by Chief A.U. Nwachukwu, Chairman of the South-East PDP Leaders Forum, the group accused Governor Mbah of colluding with expelled former Zonal Chairman, Chief Ali Odefa, to remove Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary — despite a Supreme Court ruling affirming Anyanwu’s position and official recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Governor Mbah is planning to destroy our party,” the statement warned, citing the governor’s alleged ultimatum that the PDP must reverse the Supreme Court’s decision or face his defection from the party, reports The Guardian.
According to the South-East PDP leaders, the governor’s desperation became more evident when he convened an unauthorized meeting of the South-East Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC), which only the National Vice Chairman (South-East) is empowered to summon under Article 27(3) of the PDP Constitution.
The controversial meeting, disguised as a mobilisation exercise for the PDP in the zone, was reportedly held to coerce party stakeholders into backing the removal of Senator Anyanwu and recognizing Mr. Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary, as Acting National Secretary—a move party leaders have described as “illegal and unconstitutional.”
“The gathering, initially framed as a mobilisation meeting, was a ruse aimed at forcing through an unlawful agenda. Some of the attendees were misled, unaware of the meeting’s true purpose,” the statement noted.
The forum also raised the alarm over the involvement of Chief Odefa in the scheme, emphasizing that he was expelled from the PDP in November 2024, with the expulsion affirmed by the Federal High Court in Abakaliki. Legal opinions from the party’s National and Zonal Legal Advisers also confirmed that Odefa is no longer a party member.
The South-East PDP leaders commended the national leadership of the party for resisting attempts to manipulate the party’s structure and reaffirmed their support for Acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum, National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the Reformation Committee led by former Senate President Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
They further called on party members across the region to remain vigilant and united in the face of what they termed “a clear assault on party discipline and internal democracy.”
“The PDP will not be held hostage by personal ambitions. The rule of law, party constitution, and integrity of our democratic institutions must prevail,” the statement concluded.
