The ongoing leadership problems within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has intensified, with Sunday Ude-Okoye and Senator Sam Anyanwu both vying for the role of National Secretary.
This disagreement has already created rifts among members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and Board of Trustees (BoT), posing a significant threat to the party’s stability as the national secretariat reopens following the holiday season.
Ude-Okoye, who was recently recognized as the rightful National Secretary by the Court of Appeal in Enugu, has reportedly garnered support from certain members of the NWC and BoT leaders. In contrast, Senator Anyanwu insists that he remains the rightful officeholder, pointing to his appeal of the court’s decision to the Supreme Court as justification for maintaining his claim.
“I am still the National Secretary. The status quo is preserved because I am appealing the court’s ruling,” Anyanwu stated in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday.
He further contended that Ude-Okoye, despite the court’s decision, lacks the authority to take over the position. “He knows well that this cannot be the case,” Anyanwu remarked.
The Court of Appeal’s ruling favored Ude-Okoye, validating his nomination by the South East Zone of the PDP as a replacement for Anyanwu, who had initially resigned from the role to pursue the governorship of Imo State.
After losing the election, Anyanwu returned to reclaim his position as National Secretary, arguing that there was still no vacancy.
On the other hand, Ude-Okoye asserts that his nomination and the court’s ruling solidify his claim to the office. He has been spotted at the party’s Wadata Plaza secretariat during the holidays, indicating his determination to take full control.
This dispute raises important concerns regarding the PDP’s internal governance and its adherence to constitutional provisions. Senator Anyanwu has repeatedly claimed that the Court of Appeal overstepped its bounds by intervening in what he believes are internal party matters.
