By Ayomide Otitoju
Federal lawmakers from the Southeast under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have threatened to boycott the party’s upcoming National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, over an alleged plan to rezone the position of National Woman Leader from the Southeast to the South-South.
The lawmakers, led by Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (Ideato North/South Federal Constituency, Imo State), accused Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of orchestrating the move to alter the party’s existing zoning arrangement, describing it as a deliberate attempt to sideline the Southeast in the PDP’s national structure.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Ugochinyere warned that the PDP risked deepening internal divisions and triggering mass defections if the decision was not reversed before the screening of national office aspirants.
He noted that the position of National Woman Leader had long been zoned to the Southeast, with Imo State expected to produce the next occupant. According to him, regional stakeholders had endorsed Mrs. Ifeyinwa Arodiogbu, the current Southeast Zonal Woman Leader, for the national post.
Ugochinyere explained that the arrangement was disrupted after Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State—who has since defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC)—reportedly pushed to relocate the position to his state.
“Now that Governor Mbah has left the PDP for the APC, that arrangement can no longer stand,” Ugochinyere said. “His nominee for the Woman Leader position has also joined the APC. This gives Imo State the rightful claim to produce the next National Woman Leader.”
He accused some PDP governors of manipulating zoning to weaken the Southeast’s influence, warning that the region would no longer tolerate marginalisation. “The Southeast has always stood by the PDP, but the party seems intent on alienating us,” he said.
The lawmakers gave the party two weeks to resolve the dispute, threatening to boycott the Ibadan convention if the Woman Leader position is not restored to the Southeast. “If this injustice stands, no PDP lawmaker from the Southeast will attend the convention,” Ugochinyere cautioned.
They also appealed to Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Ademola Adeleke of Osun State to intervene and help avert a crisis that could further divide the party.
“If this issue is ignored, it will provoke widespread anger and escalate the PDP’s internal crisis,” Ugochinyere added. “This is about fairness and respect for the zoning principle that holds our party together.”
The national convention in Ibadan, expected to produce new members of the National Working Committee (NWC), is regarded as a key opportunity for the PDP to rebuild unity. However, the zoning controversy now threatens to undermine those efforts.
Party insiders note that the Southeast has historically held significant positions in the PDP’s hierarchy, and any attempt to strip the region of the Woman Leader slot could be seen as a breach of trust.
A former PDP chieftain from Enugu, who spoke anonymously, said zoning remains a sensitive issue in the party. “Every region wants to feel included,” he said. “If the PDP hopes to regain national relevance, it must ensure fairness across all zones.”
