By CHARLES ONYEKWERE
National Vice-Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party ,PDP, in the South East, Chidiebere Goodluck Egwu, has disowned the former South East zonal Chairman of the party, Chief Ali Odefa, declaring that he lacks the authority to convene the zonal meeting of the party.
Egwu made this declaration at the weekend, during the commencement of his zonal familiarization tour of the five states of the Southeast, which commenced with Imo State.
The new zonal chairman was welcomed at the Imo State PDP secretariat in Owerri, by the State Working Committee members led by the Imo State PDP Chairman, Austin Nwachukwu.
Nwachukwu thanked party executives for their swift response to the meeting despite the short notice, commending their loyalty to the PDP.
He condemned divisive actions allegedly orchestrated by the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, whom he accused of undermining the National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, by continuously enabling the expelled former zonal Chairman of the party, Chief Ali Odefa, who seems determined to destabilize the party in the zone.
In his address to party members, the new National Vice Chairman, Egwu urged the party faithful to ignore Ali Odefa, reiterating that Odefa’s purported authority has no legal or party standing.
Substantiating his stance, Egwu presented several court judgements that affirmed the expulsion of Odefa from the PDP as well as key judgments that nullified the kangaroo congress that Odefa claimed returned him as national vice chairman of the PDP in the South East.
Egwu stated: “Let it be known far and wide that Ali Odefa is no longer a member of this party. Any dealings with him in the name of PDP are null and void. I urge everyone to disregard his claims and respect the rule of law”.
The zonal chairman stated that issues surrounding Odefa’s membership of the PDP was laid to rest on February 26, 2025 by Justice Hilary Oshomah in the judgment delivered in suit no: FHC/AI/CS/227/2024, which affirmed the expulsion of Odefa from the PDP.
According to Egwu, it is also important for party members to know that “The court also restrained both the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission ,INEC, from dealing or recognizing Ali Odefa as a member of the PDP”.
Additionally, he disclosed that an Enugu High Court also struck out an earlier order erroneously granted Odefa in suit No: E/132/2025, thereby invalidating his claim to the seat of the zonal chairman of the PDP.
Assuring party members of inclusive leadership, Egwu pledged to engage all stakeholders constructively and work closely with the PDP national leadership, to ensure that members of the party in the zone come together to reorganize the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
