The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South East zone has elected a new zonal executive, with the expelled Chief Ali Odefa re-emerging as the Zonal Chairman.
The election took place during the zonal congress at the Michael Okpara Square in Enugu.
Other elected officials include Hon. James Ugwu as Zonal Secretary, Mrs. Regina Uchebo as Zonal Treasurer, and Hon. Cornelius Okey Ugwu as Zonal Organising Secretary.
Speaking earlier, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, who is also the leader of the party in the South East zone, emphasised the importance of good governance, stating that “election is never an end in itself” and that the party should be a template for good governance.
He also tasked party faithful on unity and reinventing the party to restore its past glory in the South East region.
Odefa, in his acceptance speech, called for unity, saying it is the only guarantee of PDP’s victory over the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr Ifeanyi Ossai, and Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara.
Recall that on January 24, that the Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, had ordered Odefa to pay N100 million in damages.
The ruling comes after 20 PDP members, including executives from Oguduokwor Ward in Onicha Local Government Area, filed a lawsuit against Odefa for allegedly making false and malicious accusations against them to the police.
The court found Odefa guilty of misusing the police to harass the defendants, who were involved in his suspension from the PDP in Oguduokwor Ward.
Despite claiming that the defendants had forged documents to suspend him, Odefa failed to provide evidence to support his allegations.
As a result, the court issued an order restraining Odefa and the police from further harassing or intimidating the defendants.
The court also awarded each of the 20 defendants N5 million in damages, totaLling N100 million, which must be paid within seven days of the judgment. Failure to pay will result in a 10% daily interest charge.
Notably, Odefa’s counsel was absent from the court during the ruling, while the OC Legal of the Nigeria Police Ebonyi State Command represented the Commissioner of Police.
The court judgement marked FHC/AI/CS/FHR/197 had Hon. Herbert Onyedikachi, Hon Anoke, Egbe, Njoku Nwagu, Moses Idika, Ogbonnaya Idika, Obinna Chukwu, Chief John Igboke, Mrs. Ijeoma Nome, Okorie C. Okorie and nine others listed as 1st to 20th Applicants.
Odefa, the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State and the Inspector General of Police were listed in the court document as the 1st to 3rd Respondents respectively.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Hilary I. O. Oshomah, who presided over the matter of enforcement of the Applicants’ fundamental human rights against the accusations levelled against them by Odefa.
Odefa was expelled from the PDP on December 12, 2024 by the Executives of PDP Oguduokwor Ward after a disciplinary committee of the party recommended his expulsion having found him guilty of sundry anti-party activities.
On Wednesday, a Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, confirmed the expulsion of Odefa.
Justice Hilary Oshomah delivered the ruling, affirming the decision made by the PDP’s Oguduokwor Ward executive committee in Onicha Local Government Area, which expelled Odefa in October 2024.
