In a bold and defiant move, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the south-east re-elected Ali Odefa as its national vice-chairman during a dynamic zonal congress held on Wednesday at Michael Okpara Square in Enugu. The gathering also ushered in a fresh executive team, with James Ugwu named zonal secretary, Regina Uchebo as zonal treasurer, and Cornelius Ugwu as zonal organising secretary. Completing the roster were Madubuike Okoro (financial secretary), Chigozie Igwe (publicity secretary), Dominic Nwankwo (legal adviser), Ifeyinwa Arodiogbo (woman leader), Godswill Nwanoruo (zonal youth leader), and Augustine Ezeanya (zonal auditor).
Remarkably, Odefa’s re-election came mere hours after a federal high court in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi state, affirmed his expulsion from the party. The controversy traces back to October 2024, when the PDP executive committee in Oguduokwor ward, Onicha LGA of Ebonyi, suspended Odefa over alleged anti-party activities. In November, a federal high court in Ebonyi reinforced this by upholding his suspension as the south-east national vice-chairman. The situation escalated in December when ward executives expelled him, backed by a disciplinary committee’s findings. However, on January 15, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) stepped in, rejecting both the suspension and expulsion as “null and void.”
During the congress, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah took the stage, calling on the newly elected officials to lead with distinction across the zone. “Democracy abhors excuses, no matter how plausible they sound. We fully understand the demands and expectations of the people in a democratic setting. The bottom line is good governance. This is the ideal to which the PDP has committed to from its inception,” he said. Mbah underscored that in Enugu, governance revolves around the people, with their welfare driving an unwavering commitment to seamless basic services.
He added, “Democracy is beyond the squabble for office and power. It is about the people. We cannot emphasise that enough. The party’s greatness derives from its capacity to reinvent itself and retain its national appeal in the face of challenges.” With the south-east long a PDP stronghold, Mbah urged unity, warning against divisive actions that could weaken the party’s grip. “The south-east has always been a bastion of the PDP. We must ensure that it remains so,” he concluded.
