Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus from the South-East in the House of Representatives have threatened to boycott the party’s upcoming national convention if the position of National Woman Leader is taken away from their zone.
The group’s spokesperson, Rep. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, stated this in Abuja on Sunday, warning that the lawmakers would issue a formal disclaimer against the convention—scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan—if it is confirmed that the position has been zoned outside the South-East.
Ugochinyere emphasized that there is still time for the party to correct the alleged injustice before the screening of aspirants, should the ongoing speculation prove true.
According to him, no South-East PDP lawmaker will remain in the party if the leadership goes ahead with the plan to rezone the post, describing such a move as an insult to the region.
> “We don’t want to see PDP suffer further setbacks, but we will stand by our decision at the Ibadan convention if what we are hearing is confirmed.
If the position of National Woman Leader is not expressly given to Imo State, and an Imo candidate is not allowed to emerge, we will boycott the convention,” he declared.
Ugochinyere argued that since Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the earlier arrangement allowing Enugu to produce the woman leader is no longer valid, as Mbah’s nominee has also moved to the APC.
He said this development presents an opportunity for the PDP to correct what he described as an existing imbalance by ceding the position to Imo State.
The lawmaker further alleged that certain party figures are behind the plot to strip the South-East of the woman leader slot, adding that there are indications the role may be moved to the South-South.
Ugochinyere warned that such an action would provoke widespread resentment across the South-East and further deepen the PDP’s internal crisis.
> “This will worsen the ongoing confusion in the PDP. If stakeholders from the South-East withdraw from the convention, it will throw the party into greater turmoil,” he cautioned.
He also appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, a key PDP leader in Southern Nigeria, to intervene and ensure the position remains within the South-East, particularly Imo State.
> “We find it hard to believe that anyone within the party is plotting to cede the position to the South-South. It would be a great insult to the South-East if such a move succeeds,” Ugochinyere added.
