PDP re-elects expelled official as its national vice chairperson

Mr Odefa's re-election occurred shortly after a Federal High Court in Abakaliki affirmed his expulsion from the PDP.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has re-elected Ali Odefa as its national vice chairperson in the South-east.

Mr Odefa was re-elected during the PDP’s zonal congress held on Wednesday at Michael Okpara Square in Enugu.

His re-election occurred shortly after a Federal High Court in Abakaliki affirmed his expulsion from the PDP as the party’s national vice chairperson (South-east).

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the PDP chieftain was first suspended from the party by ward executives of his Oguduokwor Ward in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State in 2024 over alleged anti-party activities.

Subsequently, on 12 December 2024, the executive members of PDP Oguduokwor Ward announced Mr Odefa’s expulsion from the party.

Election

Apart from Mr Odefa, the PDP elected James Ugwu as its zonal secretary, Regina Uchebo as zonal treasurer, and Cornelius Ugwu as zonal organising secretary.

Others also elected were Madubuike Okoro (Financial Secretary), Chigozie Igwe (Publicity Secretary), Dominic Nwankwo (Legal Adviser) and Ifeyinwa Arodiogbo (Woman Leader).

Godswill Nwanoruo and Augustine Ezeanya were elected as zonal youth leader and zonal auditor of the PDP, respectively.

‘Immediate past vice chairman’

Earlier, while speaking during the congress, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State avoided addressing Mr Odefa as the “expelled” national vice-chairperson of the PDP in the South-east.

Mr Mbah instead described the PDP chieftain as the “immediate past national vice-chairman of our great party South-east zone.”

“Election is never an end in itself, and neither should the victory arising from it be construed as personal triumphs,” he told the PDP members shortly before the election.

The governor tasked the party faithful with setting the PDP as a template for good governance, insisting that “democracy abhors excuses, no matter how plausible they sound.”

Odefa’s acceptance speech

In his acceptance speech on behalf of the other 20 elected executives, Mr Odefa appealed to the PDP faithful to embrace unity to ensure the party’s victory over the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The newly elected PDP zonal leader claimed the bad policies of the APC-led government were responsible for the economic hardship in the country.

Apart from Governor Mbah, top leaders of the PDP in the South-east attended the congress.

Some of the party leaders in attendance were the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai; the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Uchenna Ugwu; the Chairperson of the PDP Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara; and the Enugu West senator, Osita Ngwu.

Others were former Abia Central senator, Augustine Akobundu, House of Representatives member Nnoli Nnaji, and former governor of Ebonyi State, Sam Egwu.