PDP Stakeholders Demand Chairman Remains in North-Central

, Call for Fresh Congresses in South-East, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Anambra

Prominent leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have issued key conditions ahead of the party’s forthcoming National Convention.

Chief among their demands is the retention of the National Chairman’s position in the North-Central, in line with the zoning arrangement adopted at the 2021 convention.

Meeting in Abuja on Monday under the banner of “Eminent Leaders and Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP,” the group called for urgent corrective measures to ensure inclusivity and compliance with court judgments. These include fresh congresses in the South-East zone, specifically in Ebonyi and Anambra States, as well as Local Government congresses in Ekiti State.

They also emphasized that the outcome of the South-South Zonal Congress held in Calabar on February 22, 2025 — which has been validated by a court ruling — must be respected.

In a communique read by former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, the group warned that failure to address these issues would render any planned national convention invalid, as it would result in the disenfranchisement of bonafide party members.

Attendees at the meeting included key figures such as FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, PDP National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, former Governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu). Others present were House of Representatives Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker Martins Amaewhule, as well as serving and former lawmakers, zonal vice chairmen, and state party chairmen from Abia, Benue, FCT, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers.

The communique reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the PDP’s foundational values of equity, justice, inclusivity, and the rule of law. It stressed the need for a convention process rooted in transparency and fairness, cautioning against any form of micro-zoning, which they argue would disrupt internal balance and stability.

Their resolutions include:

• Immediate conduct of fresh, inclusive congresses in Ebonyi and Anambra States in line with judicial directives.
• A new, legitimate South-East Zonal Congress.
• Respect for the court-approved outcome of the South-South Congress held in Calabar.
• Prompt organization of Local Government congresses in Ekiti State, also in line with court orders.
• Retention of the National Chairman in the North-Central zone, consistent with the 2021 zoning arrangement and NEC’s decision to maintain the status quo.

The group emphasized that any deviation from these demands would undermine the legitimacy of the national convention and fracture party unity.

“We believe that the PDP, to reclaim its position as Nigeria’s leading opposition party and a credible alternative, must uphold justice, fairness, and inclusion,” the statement read. “This convention must mark a turning point — a demonstration of unity over division, and justice over impunity.”

They concluded by pledging continued loyalty to the party and a commitment to working with its leadership to ensure a credible, unifying convention.