PDP governors back Appeal Court verdict, endorse Ude Okoye as national secretary

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has thrown its full support behind the Court of Appeal’s judgment affirming Ude Okoye as the party’s National Secretary and has called on the National Working Committee (NWC) to implement the ruling without delay.

This resolution was part of a seven-point communiqué issued after the Forum’s first meeting of 2025, held on Friday, January 31, at the Government House in Asaba, Delta State.

The governors reaffirmed their commitment to upholding party discipline and legal processes while working toward internal stability.

“The Forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the National Working Committee on the position of the National Secretary and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment; consequently, the Forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgment,” the communiqué read.

Additionally, the governors urged the NWC to reschedule the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to March 13, 2025, to meet legal requirements for a valid convocation.

Beyond party matters, the Forum expressed deep concerns over the Federal Government’s economic policies, stating that they have caused significant hardship to Nigerians. They called for an urgent review of these policies to ease the suffering of citizens.

“The macroeconomic policies of the Federal Government have inflicted hardship and pain on the polity.

“The Forum calls on the Federal Government to either revisit or rejig these policies to stop the hardship, as no meaningful development in the states can be achieved until the harsh policies are addressed,” the governors stated.

On security, the governors commended the Armed Forces and security agencies for their efforts but raised concerns over the resurgence of non-state actors, calling for a strengthened national security framework.

The Forum also acknowledged the developmental strides of Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, particularly in infrastructure, environmental remediation, people’s empowerment, and security.

The PDP governors reassured Nigerians of the party’s commitment to restoring the country to the pre-2015 era of economic stability, security, and national unity.

The meeting was chaired by Bauchi State Governor, Sen. Bala Mohammed, who also serves as the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum.