*Backs NWC over recognition of Udeh- Okoye as National Secretary
By Folorunso Alagbede, in Abuja
A group, the Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP), has called for expulsion of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike from the PDP.
This, the CP-PDP said, will help, to a very large extent, to sanitize the leading opposition party.
The conference similarly expressed its support and solidarity with the position of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP in recognizing Hon. SKE Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the party.
The CP-PDP reasoned that Okoye, having emerged through the internal democratic processes in line with provisions of the PDP Constitution, deserved to be the National Secretary of the PDP.
The Conference urged Hon. Udeh-Okoye to brace up and join hands with other members of the NWC to further stabilize the PDP by instilling discipline, reconciliations, unity of purpose and strengthening the party’s structure across the country for the task ahead.
A statement on Sunday by the Protem National Coordinator of the conference,
Barr. Obinna Nwachukwu, said: “The Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP), after a review of issues in the Party and in line with its commitment to the unity, stability and growth of the PDP resolves as follows;
“The Conference welcomes the Friday, March 21, 2025 judgment of the Supreme Court which decisively affirmed the supremacy of political parties in the management of their internal affairs including determination of its officials, membership and even nomination of candidates for election among others, to which the courts have no jurisdiction.
“The Conference notes that the judgment has further strengthened the nation’s democracy by affirming the powers of political parties to internally determine their structures and operations in compliance with the provisions of their Constitutions and Guidelines.
“Against this backdrop, the Conference stands with the stated position of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP in recognizing Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP, Okoye having emerged through the internal democratic processes in line with provisions of the PDP Constitution.
“The Conference urges Rt. Hon. Udeh-Okoye to brace up and join hands with other members of the NWC to further stabilize the PDP by instilling discipline, reconciliations, unity of purpose and strengthening our party’s structure across the country for the task ahead.
“The Conference again urges the leadership of the PDP to sanitize the party by immediately expelling the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from the party.
“Furthermore, the CP-PDP expresses shock and dismay over the manipulative and overbearing action of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led leadership of the National Assembly in approving the unconstitutional suspension of a democratically elected governor and legislature of a state by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)
“The Conference describes the action of the APC-led leadership of the National Assembly as a total betrayal of public trust and demands for the immediate resignation of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“The CP-PDP urges Nigerians to defend the nation’s democracy by speaking out against the constitutional violations by the APC”, the statement said.
