PRESS RELEASE

South East PDP Sets the Record Straight: The Oyo Gathering Was an Ordinary Pre-Christmas Hangout — NOT a PDP Convention

The attention of the South East Zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a desperate attempts by a few individuals to brand the casual gathering held in Oyo State as a “PDP National Convention.”
For clarity, responsibility, and the preservation of the party’s integrity, we state as follows:

#1. The Oyo Event Was Not a Convention in Any Form Whatsoever.

This is the festive season, and citizens across Nigeria are hosting social gatherings under the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association. The so-called “convention” in Oyo was nothing more than an “Owambe”, a hangout of friends eating, drinking, and taking pictures. Nothing about it met the criteria of a PDP convention.

Hon. Chidiebere Egwu Goodluck, the National Vice Chairman of the PDP South East, has rightly described the event as a “mere social party without constitutional relevance to the PDP.”

#2. Leadership in the South East Is Not in Dispute

Distinguished Senator Samuel Anyanwu remains the undisputed leader of the PDP in the South East, and the valid National Secretary of the PDP. Likewise, in Ebonyi State, the undisputed leader of the PDP remains Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, whose legitimacy, influence, and authority in the state are not in question.

No individual or group has the authority to dissolve the PDP structures in Abia or Imo States without the formal knowledge, participation, and consent of both the National Vice Chairman and the National Secretary.

All contrary declarations are illegal political noise.

#Damagun’s Double Standards Are Now Public

The suspended former National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagun, who insisted that congresses must be conducted in Anambra and Ebonyi, shockingly turned around to accept “executives” from those states without any congress. Yet the same man rushed to dissolve properly-constituted and legitimate structures in Imo and Abia.

In Anamabra for instance, we don’t have any executives, what we have for now is an administrative head, headed by Chief Ajulu, and we also have other PDP stalwarts therein steering the party’s affairs. So, why will anyone talk of executives?

This is the highest form of double-standards and cannot, and will never stand. Why will Damagun want to eat his own words?

#Why the So-Called Ibadan Convention Was Illegal

#Court Actions and Rulings Rendered the Event Void

#1October 21, 2025
Hon. Abraham Amah (Abia PDP Chairman), Hon. Austine Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (South-South PDP Zonal Secretary) instituted legal action at the Federal High Court Abuja over the party’s failure to conduct valid congresses in at least 14 states.
Their suspension in response is both unlawful and irrelevant.

#October 31, 2025
Justice James Omotosho halted the PDP National Convention and barred INEC from monitoring it. No convention is valid without INEC.

#November 5, 2025
An Oyo State High Court attempted to counter the Abuja ruling. A high court cannot overrule another high court; only the Court of Appeal can do so. The position of Abia Chairman Amah Abraham stands.

#November 7, 2025
The PDP Board of Trustees directed that the Abuja order be obeyed.
It was ignored.

#November 14, 2025
Another court halted the convention after former Governor Sule Lamido was unlawfully denied nomination forms.

Even Former Senate President Bukola Saraki withdrew completely, declaring the entire process ilegally contaminated and politically dangerous.

#Why Serious PDP Leaders Boycotted the Event

If the Ibadan gathering was legitimate, why did eminent PDP leaders, elders, and sitting governors staid away?

#Sitting Governors

* Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers State)
* Ademola Adeleke (Osun State)

#Former National Leaders & Elders**

* Former President Goodluck Jonathan
* Former Vice President Namadi Sambo
* Former Senate President Bukola Saraki
* Former NSA Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (rtd.)
* Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro
* Former National Chairman Uche Secondus
* Former National Chairman Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu

#Former Governors & Senior PDP Figures**

* Sule Lamido
* Bello Haliru Mohammed
* Henry Seriake Dickson
* Ahmed Makarfi
* Darius Ishaku
* Achike Udenwa
* Nyesom Wike
* Ayodele Fayose
* Colonel Bala Mande (rtd.)

When leaders of this calibre refuses to attend an event of this magnitude, one conclusion is obvious:
The Ibadan gathering lacked legitimacy, authority, and credibility.

#South East PDP Position.

After a full review of the facts and rulings:

1.Nothing legitimate happened in Ibadan.
2. Hon. Goodluck Chidiebere Egwu remains the National Vice Chairman, South East.
3. Distinguished Senator Samuel Anyanwu remains the authentic leader of the PDP in the South East.
4. Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii remains the undisputed leader of the PDP in Ebonyi State.
5. The Abia and Imo State PDP structures remain valid and undissolved.

#South East PDP Reaffirms Loyalty to National Leaders

The PDP South East Zone hereby pledges full allegiance to the constitutionally recognized national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, including:

Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed
National Secretary, Distinguished Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu
National Organising Secretary, Hon. Umar Bature National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN) PDP Reconciliation & Strategy Committee, chaired by Former Senate President Bukola Saraki
The PDP Board of Trustees (BoT)
The National Executive Committee (NEC)
And all genuine leaders committed to rebuilding, uniting, and safeguarding the party.

We stand firmly by the constitution, by due process, and by the authentic leadership of the PDP.

#Final Word

Governor Seyi Makinde merely used his resources and funds supplied by the opposition to gather his loyalists and share stipends. That “event” was nothing but a desperate political jamboree.

You cannot build legality on illegality.
You cannot manufacture legitimacy from fraud, and you cannot force acceptance of a process that collapsed before it even started.

The Ibadan drama has failed, and will continue to fail.

Signed:
Hon. Prince Ify Chijioke
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
Office to the National Vice Chairman, PDP South East.