Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State has taken a fresh twist as a faction of the party announced the suspension of key stakeholders, including its 2023 governorship candidate, Ifeanyi Odii.
In a statement issued by the State Publicity Secretary, Nwafor Richard Nwali, the faction listed those affected as Mr. Ifeanyi Odii, Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu, Mr. Onwe Solomon Onwe, Mr. Mudi Erhenede, Mr. Chidiebere Egwu, and Mr. Moses Idika.
Senator Nwagu was the running mate to Mr. Odii in the 2023 governorship election, while Mr. Onwe is a former Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly. Mr. Egwu is the factional National Vice Chairman (South-East) of the party, and Mr. Idika serves as the spokesperson of Mr. Odii’s political organization, the Anyi Ga Emeya Movement.
According to the statement, the one-month suspension followed allegations of anti-party activities and other infractions. The affected members have reportedly been referred to the party’s newly inaugurated disciplinary committee at its state secretariat in Abakaliki for further action.
However, the announcement has sparked strong reactions from some of those affected, who dismissed it as baseless and a sign of desperation.
Mr. Mudi Erhenede, a lawyer and one of those listed, described the suspension as “a joke taken too far.”
“Anybody can fly any statement; are they not mad? Is there any executive of PDP in Ebonyi State?” he queried.
Erhenede argued that the so-called state executive had no legal standing since the congress that produced them was nullified by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
“They are just planning with their expelled leader to save face. They don’t even exist in law, let alone carry out any act. I have instructed my office, and we are going to serve them Form 48 and Form 49 for contempt of court,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Anyi Ga Emeya Movement, the political structure of Mr. Odii, has urged the public to disregard the purported suspension.
In a statement, its spokesperson, Mr. Moses Idika, maintained that there is currently no State Working Committee (SWC) of the PDP in Ebonyi State capable of taking such disciplinary action.
He cited two court rulings — Suit No. FHC/AI/CS/183/2024, delivered on November 11, 2024, and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, delivered on October 31, 2025 — which, according to him, nullified the congresses conducted by the former Southeast Zonal Chairman, Chief Ali Odefa, and affirmed his expulsion from the party.
“The general public should ignore the purported suspension, as the faceless individual who issued the statement has no locus standi or any form of authority in the PDP,” the statement read.
Idika further stated that the authentic leadership of the PDP in Ebonyi State is working closely with the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to fix a date for fresh congresses in line with the Abuja court’s ruling.
The latest development underscores the deepening division within the Ebonyi PDP, as warring factions continue to trade accusations over control of the party structure ahead of future political contests.
