South East PDP Lawmakers Threaten Boycott Over Woman Leader Slot

Lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the South East have warned that they will boycott the party’s upcoming national convention if the position of National Woman Leader is taken away from the zone.

Their spokesperson in the House of Representatives, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, made this known in Abuja, saying members from the region would not participate in the convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan if the position is allocated elsewhere. He explained that the lawmakers were reacting to reports suggesting the party might move the slot to another region, describing it as an unfair decision that could alienate South East members.

Ugochinyere said the group still believed there was time for the PDP to correct the situation before the screening of aspirants. He warned that if the rumour turns out to be true, no elected member from the South East would continue to remain in the party. According to him, the lawmakers want fairness and inclusion to be maintained in the party’s leadership structure.

He explained that the position of National Woman Leader was initially expected to come from Enugu State under an earlier arrangement, but that plan fell through after Governor Peter Mbah defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). With Mbah’s move, he said, the candidate earlier nominated by Enugu PDP for the position also joined the ruling party, leaving the seat vacant for reconsideration within the region.

Ugochinyere added that the situation presents the PDP with an opportunity to restore balance by giving the woman leader slot to Imo State, where party members have long demanded fair representation. He accused some unnamed leaders within the party of trying to divert the position to the South South, saying such a move would deepen divisions and provoke resentment among South East members.

The lawmaker warned that if the PDP leadership ignores the complaints from the South East, it could lead to a boycott of the Ibadan convention, further destabilising the opposition party. He said the decision would not only hurt unity within the PDP but also push the South East further away from the party’s national structure.

Ugochinyere appealed to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, one of the leading voices in the southern wing of the PDP, to step in and ensure that the woman leader position remains in the South East, particularly in Imo. He said such a gesture would strengthen internal trust and show that the party still values the contributions of all regions.

He described any plan to remove the position from the zone as a slight against the South East, warning that it would send a wrong message to members who have remained loyal despite recent challenges within the party. The lawmaker urged the PDP to make decisions that promote fairness, unity, and the rebuilding of confidence among its members ahead of the national convention.