PDP kicks as 300 members defect in 12 months

Because the disaster rocking the Peoples Democratic Party continues, findings by The PidomNigeria point out that greater than 300 celebration chieftains have left the primary opposition celebration for the ruling All Progressives Congress and different events within the final 12 months.

The aggrieved members who left the PDP between February 2024 and February 2025 all cited the crises at each the state and nationwide ranges as the rationale for his or her defection.

The PDP has confronted main schisms each earlier than and after the 2023 normal elections.

Since Umar Damagum assumed the position of performing Nationwide Chairman, he has been blamed for the celebration’s struggles.

Damagum changed Iyorchia Ayu, the previous Nationwide Chairman, who was eliminated by the court docket for failing to implement needed reforms.

Consequently, the celebration’s repute has suffered, and its affect has waned.

For months, leaders and stakeholders from the North-Central Zone have been calling for the appointment of a substantive nationwide chairman to conclude Ayu’s tenure and restore stability to the celebration.

Worse nonetheless, the management disaster has been additional sophisticated by disputes over the nationwide secretary place.

In 2023, the PDP’s South-East zone nominated former Nationwide Youth Chief, Sunday Ude-Okoye, to exchange Senator Samuel Anyanwu because the nationwide secretary, following Anyanwu’s choice because the celebration’s candidate for the Imo State governorship election.

The South-East PDP argued that Anyanwu ought to not maintain the place as a result of his new position, which sparked additional controversy.

On December 20, 2024, the Appeal Courtroom in Enugu confirmed Ude-Okoye because the celebration secretary, and the ruling was formally communicated to the celebration management on December 24.

On January 8, the Courtroom of Appeal in Abuja issued a restraining order, directing Anyanwu to stay because the secretary till the court docket guidelines on the movement for a keep of execution.

Nevertheless, when the matter was scheduled for a listening to on January 27, it was not addressed.

Consequently, on January 28, Anyanwu’s supporters forcibly eliminated Ude-Okoye from the PDP Board of Trustees assembly, prompting the intervention of the PDP governors.

On January 31, the governors, led by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, endorsed the court docket’s determination in Asaba, Delta State, formally recognizing Ude-Okoye because the respectable celebration secretary.

Nevertheless, Anyanwu rejected this and petitioned the Inspector-Basic of Police, Supreme Courtroom, and Appeal Courtroom, accusing the governors of worsening the disaster.

However on February 5, the BoT, led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, confirmed Ude-Okoye because the rightful nationwide secretary after reviewing the case.

Following this, Damagum issued a memo on February 6 to the PDP Nationwide Authorized Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN, in search of steering on whether or not to behave on the Governors’ and BoT’s directive.

In a response completely obtained by The PidomNigeria, Ajibade affirmed Ude-Okoye because the nationwide secretary.

He identified that each Ude-Okoye and Anyanwu had submitted to the BoT panel chaired by former Minister of Particular Duties, Tanimu Turaki, and will due to this fact respect the result.

On February 12, the Nationwide Working Committee equally confirmed Ude-Okoye because the secretary.

Regardless of this, Anyanwu insisted he was the secretary.

Nevertheless, the event has polarised the celebration’s Nationwide Working Committee, Nationwide Government Council and BoT, together with the state and zonal chapters.

Checks by our correspondent revealed that at the very least 66 celebration leaders have left the celebration within the North-West and 34 within the North-East.

Within the North-Central, 47 members introduced their defection to the APC, Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, and others.

The PidomNigeria’s investigation additional confirmed about  48 chieftains within the South-West, 68 within the South-South, and 37 within the South-East switched to different events.

Among the distinguished figures who left the PDP within the North embody former Kaduna Governor, Mukhtar Yero, Senators Shehu Sani and Suleiman Hunkuyi, ex-Home of Representatives member Kabiru Traditional, present Home member Suleiman Abubakar Gumi (representing the Koko/Besse/Mayama federal constituency), Salisu Garba, former Katsina State governor Ibrahim Shema, and former Sokoto State governor Attahiru Bafarawa, amongst others.

Within the South, the important thing figures embody former Senate President Pius Anyim, Senator Sylvanus Nguji Ngele, former federal lawmaker, Peter Ede, ex-Commissioner Abia Onyike, Ebonyi State Home of Meeting member, Victor Nwoke and a former Home of Representatives member, Sylvester Ogbaga.

Others embody former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, governorship aspirants, Felix Akhabue and Dr Victoria Amu, Senator Sylvanus Ngele, and former Senate Committee Chairman on Anti-corruption and Monetary Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi.

In Abia State, defectors embody Christian Nkwonta, Home of Representatives member for Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency and Chinedum Orji, whereas former Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka left the celebration in Anambra.

Different defectors embody former Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shuaibu, former federal lawmaker for Ovia Federal Constituency, Omosede Igbinedion, a foundational PDP member Alh Shuaibu Oyedokun and a former native authorities scribe in Osun State, Alimi Surajudeen.

The PDP Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, attributed the defections to the APC slightly than the interior disaster.

In an interview with The PidomNigeria on Monday, Ologunagba identified that each one the political events skilled crises and emphasised that the PDP Reconciliation Committee, headed by former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, is working onerous to handle celebration points and forestall additional defections.

“The APC is set to remove all opposition events and create a one-party state. For this reason persons are leaving not simply the PDP, however different opposition events as nicely. They’re doing this by way of using federal equipment.

“Once more, we’re taking motion on this regard. Until you select to disregard it, simply final week, the celebration’s reconciliation committee, headed by the previous Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was in Enugu to make sure there are not any challenges.

“In fact, there’ll all the time be challenges, however we’ve responded and are actively working. Individuals are nonetheless with us, and a considerable majority of our members stay loyal.”

The PDP Deputy Nationwide Youth Chief, Timothy Osadolor, attributed the mass defections to poverty, accusing the APC of luring the previous celebration leaders.

He acknowledged, “The reality is that the APC-led Federal Authorities has weaponized poverty, insecurity, and extra importantly, they’ve focused opposition events and positioned them in a chokehold, inflicting some individuals to defect for survival.

“Keep in mind, there isn’t any celebration that has not been in disaster for a while. Even the APC isn’t all rosy. Which means that even in paradise, there are issues; even within the so-called paradise, they’ve their very own inside points.

‘’The explanation the state of affairs within the PDP is extra apparent is that it’s a celebration that the complete nation is speaking about as a result of it belongs to the individuals, to not godfathers and retailers.’’

Persevering with, he famous, “The President Tinubu administration is doing every little thing it might to make sure that the APC stays the one celebration. They’ve mobilized assets and equipment to make sure there isn’t any opposition in 2027.

‘’Consequently, members who should not robust sufficient, not principled, or who couldn’t survive are becoming a member of them.”

A PDP NEC member and former deputy publicity secretary, Diran Odeyemi, warned that the celebration’s picture would endure if the disaster continues.

He urged the PDP leaders to come back collectively and resolve the difficulty.

Odeyemi acknowledged, “We should put our home so as. Some members left as a result of ongoing disaster. Party leaders should come collectively to establish the problems and work on options.

“There may be additionally a necessity to have interaction with the important thing influencers behind the disaster. These influencers are celebration leaders. The earlier the PDP addresses its challenges, the higher will probably be for the celebration’s future.”