By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – Former Imo State Governor Achike Udenwa has firmly dismissed speculations that aggrieved members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-East could defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that the PDP remains the preferred choice for Nigerians despite internal challenges.

Udenwa, who spoke as a guest on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Tuesday, addressed the ongoing dispute over the position of National Secretary, emphasising that the South-East caucus of the PDP will not abandon the party.

“The issue of APC is ruled out. What is happening to us today in PDP, APC has a hand in it, and I don’t blame APC. They are exploiting the situation we are having and using certain people within our fold. At the same time, APC can hardly be a destination for the South-East caucus,” he stated.

The former governor defended the South-East caucus’s position in the dispute, arguing that Senator Samuel Anyanwu effectively relinquished his role as PDP National Secretary when he declared his intention to run for the Imo State governorship.

Udenwa revealed that the South-East zone, which is constitutionally responsible for producing the National Secretary, has nominated a replacement candidate three times, but their nominations have been consistently rejected.

“We have done that about three times now. If our presentation is being turned down, it means nobody wants us to make a presentation again,” Udenwa said.

He further emphasized the authority of the South-East caucus within the party.

“We have made our position very clear. I don’t believe that whatever forces are behind Anyanwu are a stronger force than the South-East caucus because the South-East caucus is an established zone within the party. If that caucus takes a decision, that decision is binding, and our recommendation to the national cannot be thrown away,” the ex-Imo governor said.

Responding to suggestions that former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike’s influence within the PDP might be driving the pushback against the South-East caucus, Udenwa downplayed Wike’s role.

“Wike is a member of the party, member of NEC, and a former governor in the party, and that is as far as his own power goes. I don’t know what extra powers he has, but whatever such powers may be, they can never equate to a zonal caucus of the party,” he said.

Udenwa also cautioned against what he described as ‘amphibious brigade’ members, PDP members who defy party rules while maintaining their membership.

He warned that any violation of party discipline would be met with action, affirming the resolve of the disciplinary committee to uphold the party’s constitution and sanction offenders accordingly.

Despite the internal crisis, Udenwa expressed confidence in the PDP’s ability to withstand the current turbulence.

“This party was formed in 1998. A lot of people who are now pulling weight or trying to drag the party down were not there when it was formed; they were just joiners. The party has withstood all the problems we have had in the past, and we are going to withstand this present problem,” he said.

He further argued that the PDP still holds strong grassroots support and remains the preferred choice for many Nigerians.

“When you compare the country under PDP to the last decade of APC rule; our GDP, level of foreign loan, prices in the market, life of an average Nigerian, which would Nigerians prefer? And it’s still very obvious that PDP is the choice of the people,” Udenwa stressed.