From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South East stakeholders, have described the meeting of some stakeholders of the party held in Enugu recently as illegitimate.
The stakeholders said the meeting held in the Enugu State Government House last week by the expelled former national vice chairman, Chief Ali Odefa was a nullity.
Chief Chidiebere Egwu, the new national vice chairman in the zone stated this in Abuja during a meeting with stakeholders of the party in the zone. They reaffirmed their support for Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the national secretary of the party.
The stakeholders’ meeting was attended by leaders of the party in the South East, including the immediate past governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Anyanwu, Senator Michael Amah Nnachi, Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu, Jones Onyeriri, the zonal Legal Adviser, Ukpai Ukairo, zonal Organising Secretary, Mike Ahumibe and the party’s chairmen in Imo and Abia states, among many others.
In a communiqué at the end of the meeting, they reiterated their call for the National Working Committee (NWC) to obey the Supreme Court ruling that explicitly reaffirmed the position of Senator Anyanwu as national secretary.
They called on the NWC and the general public to disregard the meeting held at the behest of Odefa.
The stakeholders also reiterated their call for the immediate conduct of congresses in Ebonyi and Anambra states which do not have a valid state working committee at present.
The communiqué recalled several judgments that affirmed the suspension and subsequent expulsion of Odefa as the national vice chairman of the PDP, South East, and afterwards, urged the zonal working committee to immediately institute a “contempt of court” proceedings against the former zonal chairman.
Stakeholders also urged all party members and leaders to support the Senator Bukola Saraki-led reconciliation committee to mediate on the lingering crisis and leadership skirmishes for the survival of the party.