South East PDP disassociates zone from scheduled meeting with Damagum-led NWC

Chief Ali Odefa, the National Vice Chairman (South East) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has disassociated the South East zone from the planned “South East Critical Stakeholders Meeting” with the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), set to take place on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

In a statement shared with journalists via email, Odefa emphasized that he, as the zone’s representative in the NWC, was unaware of the meeting. He stated that the South East PDP leadership had not been consulted or informed about any such gathering.

Odefa’s clarification raises questions about the legitimacy of the meeting and its alignment with the party’s internal procedures.

“My attention has been drawn to a purported invitation of critical South East Stakeholders of the PDP to a meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party on Tuesday, January 28, 2025,” Odefa stated.

He further emphasized, “As the National Vice Chairman (South East) and member of the NWC representing the South East, I hereby authoritatively state that no such meeting is scheduled between the South East Stakeholders and the NWC.”

Odefa referred to the Zonal Committee (ZEC) meeting held in Enugu on January 25, 2025, where all South East critical stakeholders had gathered and unanimously agreed on matters related to the planned South East Zonal Congress.

“For the avoidance of doubt, all PDP South East Critical Stakeholders, staff of the National Secretariat, and the media should disregard the purported invitation to a meeting of the South East Stakeholders with the NWC as no such meeting was scheduled,” he concluded.

This follows an earlier move by the party’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, and embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who had sent out an invitation for a meeting of the party’s “critical stakeholders” from the South East to be held in Abuja.