Ali Odefa no longer our member, can’t convene zonal meeting – Southeast PDP Chair, Egwu

The National Vice Chairman (NVC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South East Zone, Hon Chidiebere Goodluck Egwu, has called on party members and the general public to completely disregard any claims or activities anchored by the expelled former South East Zonal Chairman of the party, Chief Ali Odefa, as the latter is no longer a member of the party.

Egwu made this declaration on Friday during the commencement of his zonal familiarization tour of the five states of the South East, starting with Imo State.

The new zonal chairman, who was accompanied by other zonal officers, including the Zonal Legal Adviser, Barrister Ukpai Ukairo, and the Zonal Organising Secretary, Hon. Mike Ahumibe, among others, was received at the Imo State PDP Secretariat in Owerri by all members of the State Working Committee, led by the Imo State Chairman of the party, Rt. Hon. Austin Nwachukwu.

Also present were all the LGA Chairmen of the party, led by the PDP Ohaji/Egbema Chairman, Chief Emeka Chukwu.

In his welcome remarks, the Imo State PDP Chairman, Rt. Hon. Austin Nwachukwu, thanked party executives for their swift response to the meeting despite the short notice and commended their loyalty to the PDP.

He condemned divisive actions within the party, particularly those allegedly orchestrated by the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, whom he accused of undermining the National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, by continuously enabling the expelled former zonal chairman, Chief Ali Odefa, who appears determined to destabilize the party in the zone.

In his address to party members, the new National Vice Chairman, Hon. Egwu, urged party faithful and the Nigerian public to completely ignore Ali Odefa, reiterating that Odefa’s purported authority has no legal or party standing.

Substantiating his position, Hon. Egwu presented several court judgments that affirmed the expulsion of Ali Odefa from the PDP, as well as key rulings that nullified the “kangaroo” congress Odefa claimed returned him as National Vice Chairman of the PDP South East.

Hon. Egwu stated, “Let it be known far and wide: Ali Odefa is no longer a member of this party. Any dealings with him in the name of the PDP are null and void. I urge everyone to disregard his claims and respect the rule of law.”

The zonal chairman noted that issues surrounding Ali Odefa’s membership in the PDP were laid to rest on February 26, 2025, by Honourable Justice Hilary I. O. Oshomah in the judgment delivered in Suit No: FHC/AI/CS/227/2024, which affirmed the expulsion of Chief Ali Odefa from the PDP. In Order Five of the judgment, the court granted “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st Defendant (Ali Odefa) from parading himself as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party and/or as the National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party for the South East zone of Nigeria, and from continuing to perform the roles or exercise the powers accorded to the National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party for the South East zone of Nigeria.”

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 with or recognizing Ali Odefa as a member of the PDP.”

He stated that in Suit No: FHC/AI/CS/2/2025, the court affirmed Hon. Chidiebere Goodluck Egwu as the substantive National Vice Chairman of the PDP, South East Zone.

On the purported zonal congress that Chief Ali Odefa claimed returned him as the National Vice Chairman, Hon. Egwu informed party members that, in addition to an FCT High Court Order in Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/325/2025 which barred the PDP and INEC from conducting the congress, an Enugu High Court — which was earlier misled by Chief Odefa — also struck out an earlier order erroneously granted in Suit No: E/132/2025, thereby invalidating Odefa’s claims to the position of Zonal Chairman of the PDP.

Assuring party members of inclusive leadership, Hon. Egwu pledged to engage all stakeholders constructively and work closely with the national leadership — especially the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum; the PDP Reformation Committee Chairman, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki; and the PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, to ensure that members of the party in the zone come together to reorganize the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Also, in his remarks, South East Zonal Organising Secretary, Chief Mike Ahumibe, stated that Chief Ali Odefa has continued to flout multiple court rulings that barred him from posing as the PDP Vice Chairman for the zone. He criticized Governor Mbah’s open endorsement of Odefa, calling it a blatant disregard for the rule of law.

Chief Ahumibe, however, expressed satisfaction with the emergence of Hon. Egwu as the Zonal Chairman, stating, “The PDP is back. We are rebuilding — stronger and more united than ever. The wave of revival is sweeping through the region and across Nigeria.”

In his own remarks, the Zonal Legal Adviser informed party members that, due to the subsisting judgments affirming the expulsion of Ali Odefa from the PDP, as well as the court order stopping the illegal congress that Chief Odefa had planned, INEC, after reviewing the rulings, boycotted the illegal congress.

He reiterated the position of the Zonal Working Committee of the party to galvanize members in all five South East states. He revealed that the next stop for the familiarization tour is Abia State.

Ali Odefa no longer our member, can’t convene zonal meeting – Southeast PDP Chair, Egwu