Crack in PDP as Southern leaders reject Lagos zoning meeting

A major disagreement has emerged within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as some Southern leaders, including state chairmen, National Assembly members, and former party executives, said to be loyal to the Nyesom Wike faction, have disowned the ongoing zoning consultative summit in Lagos.

The Lagos meeting, convened by the PDP Zoning Committee, is expected to deliberate on power-sharing arrangements ahead of the party’s national convention slated for November 15–16 and the 2027 general elections.

However, in a strongly worded statement on Thursday, the aggrieved leaders described the summit as “illegal, exclusionary, and unrepresentative” of Southern PDP stakeholders. They insisted that any decisions or communiqués from the meeting are “neither binding on nor reflective of the collective will and aspirations of the PDP family across Southern Nigeria.”

“Decisions reached in secrecy and exclusion cannot and shall not assume the authority of consensus,” the statement read.

The statement was signed by the state chairmen of Imo, Abia, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers – Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah, Barr. Venatuis Ikem, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Akpan, and Aaron Chukwuemeka. Others include National Vice Chairman (South-East), Hon. Chidiebere Egwu Goodluck; House of Representatives Minority Leader, Hon. O. K. Chinda; Senators Igwe Nwagu, Mao Ohuabunwa, George Sekibo, and Mike Ama Nnachi; former National Secretary, Rt. Hon. Onwe S. Onwe; Deputy National Legal Adviser, Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha; and former Ebonyi State Legal Adviser, Barr. Mudi Erhenede.

The group accused the organisers of sidelining key stakeholders, including several state chairmen from the South-East and South-South, the National Secretary, Deputy National Legal Adviser, and principal officers in the National Assembly.

“It is deeply disturbing that such a meeting was convened without the courtesy of inviting several state chairmen, eminent leaders, and critical stakeholders. Even former governors from the South-East and South-South, who remain vital to the party’s future, were deliberately excluded,” the statement said.

The leaders argued that the exclusion of statutory organs of the party violates the PDP’s principles of collective decision-making and could undermine its unity.

They further dismissed the Lagos summit as “premature and self-serving,” alleging it was aimed at advancing the ambitions of a few individuals while the official Zoning Committee of the party is yet to submit its report for ratification by the National Executive Committee (NEC).

“For the avoidance of doubt, any resolutions from this meeting are null and void and should be disregarded by the National Working Committee (NWC), the NEC, and all stakeholders. The so-called summit is divisive and targeted at protecting the interest of a select few,” the group warned.

The statement urged party leaders to focus on due process and inclusive dialogue to prevent further cracks within the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.