A member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Umar Abdullahi, has criticised the party’s Governors’ Forum for endorsing Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary, warning that their stance could exacerbate the internal crisis.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Abdullahi described the governors’ declaration of support as inflammatory and counterproductive for the party.

The PDP governors had backed Ude-Okoye based on a Court of Appeal ruling from its Enugu division. However, Senator Samuel Anyanwu claims to possess a stay of execution order from the Abuja Court of Appeal and has since appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court.

Reacting to the communiqué issued by the PDP Governors’ Forum following its meeting in Asaba, Delta State, Abdullahi stated, “Using a communiqué to address an internal conflict is not an appropriate measure for such a respected forum.”

“The governors should have exhausted all internal conflict resolution mechanisms before making a public declaration. As respected leaders, they are expected to handle party affairs with decorum.”

He further criticised the governors for allegedly overstepping their constitutional authority, stating that their opinion, while significant, cannot override the decision of a competent court or the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), which is a statutory organ.

“The governors’ approach is not the right path to achieving peace, especially as the appeal is still pending in court,” he said.

Abdullahi also faulted the PDP Governors’ Forum for issuing its communiqué before the BoT’s fact-finding committee could conclude its investigations.

“The forum should have commissioned its own independent investigation before taking a stance, in the best interest of the party,” he suggested.

He further referenced a petition filed by Senator Anyanwu to the Inspector General of Police, alleging that certain individuals forged the PDP constitution and electoral guidelines to mislead the court into ruling against him.

“Forgery involving PDP documents is a serious criminal offence, and the governors should be at the forefront of addressing such matters,” Abdullahi asserted.

He urged the governors to reconsider their position, reminding them of their role as party and national leaders.

“It is imperative that due diligence is observed in resolving this crisis within the party,” he concluded.