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•PDP caucus in region formally re-presents Ude-Okoye for nat’l secretary, threatens to pull out if rejected

•Udenwa insists forces behind Anyanwu not bigger than them 

•Deputy national chair promises party’ll discuss their resolution, submit it to NEC 

•Our party still waxing strong, senators declare

Emmanuel Addeh, Chuks Okocha and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

In what seemed like setting up Governors Alex Otti of Abia State and Peter Mbah of Enugu State, the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has said all the five South-east governors were already supporting President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections, in spite of their political affiliations.

This came just as the south east zonal executive committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, formally re-presented as their nominee for the office of National Secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye, or the zone would massively pull out of the party.

Also, a former governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, has declared that the forces behind the embattled National Secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu, were not bigger than the South-East caucus of the party.

But the Deputy National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, who stood in for the acting National Chairman, Amb Illya Damagum, told the South East delegation that the National Working Committee (NWC)would look into their request and forward the outcome to the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting holding May 27.

At the same time, the PDP senators yesterday declared that contrary to claims by their colleagues, who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), their party remained strong and would continue to wax stronger.

According to a release issued yesterday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the minister made the statements in a feature interview for an upcoming State House documentary marking Tinubu’s second year in office.

Umahi, who called on opposition figures in the zone, like Obi, to join the train and back the president, disclosed that a section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was nearing completion and users would have to pay a toll effective December 2025.

Umahi said, “All the governors in the South-east, regardless of party affiliation, are working with the president.”

Of the five governors, those of Imo and Ebonyi belong to All Progressives Congress (APC), the Enugu governor is a member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the governor of Anambra is of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), while the Abia governor belongs to Labour Party (LP).

According to Umahi, the South-east is witnessing a new wave of federal attention and infrastructure development under Tinubu.

He said, “The Igbo man is enterprising and blessed with God-given wisdom. What Ndi Igbo seek is fairness, Nigeria that treats every zone equally. That is what President Tinubu is doing.

“Before, when I was governor and deputy governor, one of our major concerns in Ebonyi State was the lack of federal presence. But today, nobody remembers that issue anymore. Under President Tinubu, at least four federal projects are ongoing in Ebonyi State.”

Umahi stated that while cries of marginalisation used to dominate conversations in the South-east, the current administration had made significant progress in addressing long-standing concerns about infrastructure and appointments.

He stated, “Today, the South-east has a Minister of Works for the first time, and we’re seeing real projects—Port Harcourt to Enugu, Enugu to Abakaliki, Enugu to Onitsha, Onitsha to Owerri, and the Second Niger Bridge. The president has already paid 30 per cent of the cost of that bridge.”

He also hinted of plans by South-east leaders to endorse Tinubu for re-election in 2027.

Umahi said, “We’re even planning a summit to bring together all South-east leaders to endorse the president for the 2027 elections formally. We want our projects to be completed, the country’s unity to be strengthened and proper integration of Ndi Igbo.”

Umahi urged key regional opposition figures to align with the president for the greater good of the South-east.

He stated, “Leadership is not about self – it’s about the people. If someone else is already doing what you would have done for your people, support him. I call on my brother, His Excellency Peter Obi, to join us and work with Mr. President.

“He must be part of this summit where we will collectively endorse President Tinubu for the 2027 election. I say it boldly: the South-east is happy with the president.”

Providing updates on four major national projects—the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the Trans-Saharan Trade Route, and the soon-to-be-procured Ogun-Ondo-Niger Corridor—Umahi described them as transformative investments designed to unlock Nigeria’s economic potential and deepen regional integration.

On the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the minister revealed that over 80 per cent of Section 1—spanning 47.47 kilometres from Ahmadu Bello Way to the Lekki Deep Sea Port, and terminating at Eleko Junction—had been completed.

He said work was also progressing on Section 2, which covers 55 kilometres, from Eleko Junction to the Lagos-Ogun border.

According to Umahi, “By December, we will toll Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. We project a 10-year return on investment. The road has solar-powered lighting and CCTV infrastructure and offers carbon credit advantages.

“It is more than a road—it is an economic corridor and a catalyst for regional growth. We have completed 30 kilometres of Section 1 and are on track to complete an additional 10 in Section 2. These are six-lane, concrete-paved highways.

“Just days ago, we flagged off Sections 3 and 3B—65 kilometres in total—covering 38 kilometres in Cross River State and 27 kilometres in Akwa Ibom. The host communities’ excitement speaks to these projects’ transformative impact.”

On the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the minister explained its historic significance, and stated that the route was conceived during the Shehu Shagari administration over four decades ago.

“The Trans-Saharan Trade Route dates back to colonial-era planning. President Tinubu is now bringing these long-abandoned visions to life,” he said.

Commending the president’s leadership and foresight, Umahi said, “God gave him the vision for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway seven years ago. Today, he is actualising that vision. These projects testify to his unwavering commitment to national development and a better future for all Nigerians.”

He reaffirmed that the legacy projects were economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and forward-looking.

S’East PDP Re-presents Ude-Okoye for Nat’l Secretary, Says It Will Quit If Rejected

The south east PDP zonal executive committee has re-presented as their nominee for the office of National Secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye, or the zone would massively pull out of the party.

Senator Osita Ngwu, who read the communique of the Southeast caucus read and handed over their position to Arapaja said, “Mr. Chairman, on the 14th of May, 2025, the Southeast Zonal Executive Committee met at Enugu State Government House and a forum was fully formed.

“After the meeting, a committee was raised and the reason why we visited here today is to make a presentation of the communique that was issued at the end of the meeting.

‘’Mr. Chairman, if you recall, on March 31st, 2025, the Supreme Court, which is the apex court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, brought to a closure the protracted issue surrounding the puzzle of the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“Following that judgment of the Supreme Court, the PDP Governors’ Forum also met in Oyo State on the 14th of April, 2025, and passed a resolution. You can also recall that here, at the National Office on April 29th, the National Working Committee met and adopted that resolution of the governor’s forum.

“And what is that resolution? The resolution is that the South East Zonal Executive Committee should meet and nominate a candidate that will fill in the position of the National Secretary. Mr. Chairman, I need to remind us, or make it clear, that the position of the South East on this issue has always been to find a pathway to a lasting resolution of the impacts and crisis in the PDP.

“And also, in all intent and purpose, to ensure that this party continues to progress well. We are looking for a lasting peace so that we can perform better in the upcoming and subsequent election.

‘’Mr. Chairman, from our communique, which is in this report that I am going to hand over to you, and in the meeting that was recently held by the South East Executive Committee of the party at the Zonal Office, we unanimously agreed and nominated the former youth leader of the party, Rt. Honorable S.K. Ude-Okoye, to be our nominee for the position of the National Secretary of our great party, the PDP.”

Continuing, he said, ‘’Mr. Chairman, we are going to give you this report, and our prayers and our urge and our appeal is that this party should carefully look through even other precedents that have been set in replacement of National Working Committee members or other officers of the committee of the PDP that has been done. We are not trying to set a precedent. We are not trying to do a new thing because precedent has been set.’

‘’We are asking you to look at a zone, who has been the backdrop and backbone of the PDP, a zone who has delivered all the National Assembly members, all governors to the PDP in the past, a zone that is eager to redeem its past glory. We are praying that the request of this zone should not be jeopardized. Let us look at it based on the point of its merits.

‘’Let it be a stepping stone in our urge and our drive to reposition our party. We are not here to make another request, but we are speaking to our consciences so that whatever decision that is taken at the end should be for the interest of the party and a position that is going to support us, a position that is going to lift the morale of the members of this great party towards a sustainable growth and a path of recovery.’’

In the last paragraph of the communique, the caucus however threatened that there would be a mass defection, if their request was not heeded.

Receiving their position, Arapaja said, ‘’This resolution will be discussed at the end of the day, during our next meeting. We will decide on the way forward, and that decision will be forwarded to the NEC which I am quite sure you know is fast approaching. We will look at it, we will do justice to it, we will do our best.

‘’But, you know, when we transmit it to the NEC, which I am quite sure most of the members are present there, some of our leaders who are not here as well, who are members of NEC as well, so we can find a lasting solution jointly to it.

‘’But there is something that I read somewhere, but I will ask that you will consider your position with the PDP. You didn’t mention it here but I think everybody already read it. Well, I know you are not happy with the situation, and it’s inevitable in any political party, as big as it this. It’s a natural political practice. We are able to speak, to express our opinion.

‘’I know you are not happy and I understand why you are not happy, but even as you are angry out there, we can find a solution. It’s like a landlord running out of his own house, because the house is leaking. So, we’ll do our best. What we’ll do is to fix the problem, and I know we can do it, together we can do it. There is a solution.

“This is the only party that belongs to the people. Yes, it doesn’t belong to anybody. It’s the only party where you can feel peaceful, you can express your opinion. It’s just like that in any family. So, I want to appeal that. We can do it. We can resolve it. And I know we will resolve it. And I know, and I’m quite sure, that PDP will overcome.

‘’As I said, the resolution will be thoroughly discussed. We’ll do our best and as you know, NEC has the final say,’’ Arspajs stated.

Meanwhile, Udenwa, has declared that the forces behind Anyanwu were not bigger than the South-East Caucus of the party.

Udenwa made the remark while insisting that the South-East Caucus of the PDP stood with Sunday Ude-Okoye as National Secretary.

Featuring on Arise Television’s Programme, Morning Show, the former governor faulted the decision of the committee led by Senate President, Bukola Saraki to recognise Anyanwu as National Secretary.

He insisted that Anyanwu’s tenure ended when he opted to contest the governorship election in Imo State.

“For some time, for over one year, we have been on this issue. The South-East zonal executive committee kept nominating Ude-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary.

“If we are to continue on that line, it’s our prerogative to continue on that line and we have been asked severally to present a candidate and we have done it. If there is any contrary recommendation, then we are left to present our own candidate.

“We do know that the committee should be able to resolve the crisis and it should not come up with what is contrary to the recommendation as this is our candidate.

“As far as we are concerned, Anyanwu’s tenure ended when he opted to contest for governorship. He gave up his position as National Secretary and it’s left for us as the South-East Caucus to represent another candidate.

“We have done that three times now – if our presentation is being turned down, it means nobody wants us to make presentation again and we have made our position very clear.

“I don’t believe that whatever forces are behind Anyanwu are stronger than the South-East Caucus of the party. It can never be because the South-East Caucus is an established zone within the party. If that caucus takes a decision, it’s binding and our recommendation to the national can’t be taken away.

“Wike is a member of the party, NEC and a former governor of the party, so that is as far as his own power goes. I don’t know what extra power he has but whatever such powers may be can never equate to a zonal caucus of the party.

“This party has a constitution and a way of doing things; we can’t arrogate to one man the powers to override what a zone can do. I don’t know any man within the party with such powers,”  Udenwa said.

PDP Senators: Our Party Waxing Strong

PDP senators have declared that contrary to claims by their colleagues who recently defected to the ruling APC, their party remained strong and would continue to wax stronger.

Rising from its meeting at the National Assembly, the Senate PDP Caucus, in a statement, assured the people that there was no crisis in the main opposition party.

They specifically said, “Contrary to insinuations that the party is in shreds and on the verge of collapse, our party remains strong and will continue to wax stronger. The PDP Senate Caucus observes that the current conflicts in the PDP is not unique to the party.

“All the other parties such as the All Progressives Congress, the Labour Party, the New Nigeria Peoples’ Party, the Social Democratic Party, among others, have their own shares of crisis and conflicts.

“The Senate Caucus of the PDP, therefore, urges all our teaming members to remain resolute in their commitment, dedication, and loyalty to the Party.

“The Caucus believes that the series of activities lined up by the leadership of the Party will throw up a new lease of life and leadership in the Party that will make it competitive in future elections.

“The Senate Caucus of the PDP states further that the beauty of democracy is in the existence of robust opposition to keep the ruling party in check to ensure good governance.

“Celebrating of the emasculation of other parties and tilting towards a one party state will not advance the cause of democracy. The Senate Caucus of the PDP states that it is not averse to the idea and ideals of coalition.

“The Caucus observes the synthesisation of ideas and creating a harmony of ideals will further the beauty of democracy. However, the Caucus advises that any such coalition should be driven by political parties and not individuals.

“As the biggest of all the opposition parties, the PDP’s Umbrella is big enough to accommodate all persons desirous of Coalition. The Peoples Democratic Party, therefore, should drive the Coalition if and when it becomes necessary.

“Finally, the Senate Caucus of the PDP states emphatically that the party is a big brand that is competitive. In all nooks and crannies of Nigeria, there are PDP members.”