Kola Ologbondiyan, former National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has warned that the opposition party could face a more severe crisis if it fails to address critical issues that contributed to its loss in the 2023 presidential election. Ologbondiyan emphasized that if the PDP does not zone its national chairmanship position to the North Central region, it could cause further division within the party.
Appearing on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, Ologbondiyan explained that the PDP has been in turmoil since 2022, especially after its national convention that saw former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar emerge as the 2023 presidential candidate. The development did not sit well with some party members, leading to defections and a split within the party, most notably with the G5 governors led by Nyesom Wike.
Ologbondiyan added that the PDP is currently embroiled in a legal battle over the national secretary position, with Sunday Ude-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu disputing the role. However, Ologbondiyan remained firm in his belief that the party’s stability hinges on zoning the chairmanship position to North Central. He urged the party to honor the region’s rightful claim, warning that failure to do so could reignite old issues that had previously fractured the party, including the G5 crisis.
“We saw it coming. Anyone in the PDP who cares about the party’s future cannot ignore this reality. The North Central must be allowed to take over the national chairmanship, even if only for a day. It’s critical for the party’s survival,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the PDP Disciplinary Committee, led by Chief Tom Ikimi, announced that it had postponed its review of petitions against three members of the National Working Committee (NWC) to facilitate ongoing reconciliation efforts. The committee, while acknowledging the petitions, decided to delay further action to allow space for the PDP governors’ forum and Board of Trustees to address the party’s issues.
In another development, the PDP’s South-East stakeholders condemned attempts to remove Senator Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary, asserting that the Court of Appeal’s stay of execution reaffirmed his position. Chief Maxwell Okoye, Chairman of the South-East PDP Stakeholders Forum, stated, “There is only one National Secretary, and it remains Senator Samuel Anyanwu.”
Adding to the controversy, the PDP Unity Project Group has criticized the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) for overstepping its authority. Mfong Usoro, Chairman of the group, accused the BoT, led by Senator Adolphus Wabara, of undermining the party’s constitution by acting without legal basis. He emphasized that ongoing matters should be handled by the courts and not the BoT.
As PDP struggles to address its internal conflicts, it remains uncertain whether the party can find common ground ahead of the 2027 general elections.
