Kehinde Fajobi
Kola Ologbodiyan, the immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has warned that the party could face a worse crisis if it fails to address key issues that contributed to its 2023 presidential election loss.
He specifically pointed to the unresolved matter of zoning the party’s national chairmanship position to the North Central region.
Ologbodiyan made the remarks during his appearance on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, February 6, 2025.
He stressed that failing to zone the chairmanship to North Central could lead to further destabilisation of the party, which has been in disarray since its 2022 national convention that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate.
Ologbodiyan noted that the PDP’s internal strife, particularly the actions of disgruntled governors like Nyesom Wike, who worked against the party, had already caused significant turmoil.
When asked about other issues the PDP needs to address ahead of the 2027 elections, Ologbodiyan explained that the national chairmanship position remained a critical point.
He said, “We saw it coming, and anybody in the Peoples Democratic Party who is interested in the party’s life cannot claim not to know that this would happen.”
He further stated, “Having said that, I still insist — and I believe I speak for the majority of North Central — that even if it’s going to be for a day, the North Central must be allowed to take over the office of the substantive national chairman, which was vacated by Senator Iyorchia Ayu through which Ambassador Ilyasu Damagum assumed office in acting capacity, which means it’s not substantive.”
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Ologbodiyan added, “So, whether the life of the present executive would end in December or before then, the North Central should be given the opportunity. Otherwise, the challenge that led to G5 is still alive.
“It may not function in the same way, but it would be on record that the party at a point was unjust to the people of North Central.”
In an effort to resolve its ongoing crisis, the PDP’s Board of Trustees has directed the National Working Committee (NWC) to immediately swear in Sunday Ude-Okoye as the substantive national secretary, in line with a declarative judgment from the Enugu High Court, which was upheld by the Court of Appeal.