Governors elected under Nigeria’s opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have endorsed Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s substantive National Secretary amid ongoing legal battles over the position.
The endorsement follows a dispute between Ude-Okoye and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who was removed by a Federal High Court ruling in late 2024. While the Court of Appeal in Enugu upheld the decision, a separate ruling from the Court of Appeal in Abuja recently ordered both sides to maintain the status quo.
At a meeting held in Asaba, Delta State, on Friday, PDP governors also scheduled the party’s long-awaited National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for March 13, directing the National Working Committee (NWC) to ensure it takes place. The NEC meeting, last convened in April 2024, has been delayed due to internal divisions within the party’s leadership.
In a communique issued after the meeting, the governors called on President Bola Tinubu to reconsider his economic policies, arguing that they have worsened hardship for Nigerians. They expressed concerns about rising inflation, economic instability, and security challenges, urging the Federal Government to reassess its approach.
“The Forum calls on the Federal Government to either revisit or rejig its macroeconomic policies to alleviate the suffering of the people, as no meaningful progress can be achieved in the states until these harsh policies are addressed,” the communique stated.
The governors also raised concerns over the resurgence of non-state actors threatening national security, despite efforts by the military and security agencies. They urged the government to strengthen security measures to curb rising threats to lives and property.
The meeting, chaired by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, was attended by 12 other PDP governors, with Oyo State’s Governor Seyi Makinde represented by his deputy.
The governors reaffirmed their commitment to tackling Nigeria’s economic and security challenges and promised a return to what they described as the country’s “glorious days” before 2015, when they say economic stability, unity, and security were stronger.