PDP BoT sets up panel to resolve dispute over national secretary position

The board of trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has constituted a panel to resolve the dispute concerning the party’s national secretary position.

The BoT announced the constitution of the panel in a communique issued at the end of its meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday.

Kabiru Turaki, the former minister of special duties, will chair the panel.

The panel is expected to interface between Sunday Ude-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu, both chieftains of the PDP, who are laying claims to the position of the party’s secretary seat.

BACKGROUND

In December 2024, the court of appeal ruled that Ude-Okoye should replace Anyanwu as the PDP national secretary.

The south-east zonal executive committee of the party nominated Udeh-Okoye to replace Anyanwu after he became the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Imo state in 2023.

Anyanwu had obtained several court injunctions to stop his removal from office.

However, in a verdict delivered on December 20, 2024, Ridwan Abdullahi, the appeal court judge, dismissed the judgment of the high court, which prevented Anyanwu’s removal, for “lacking in merit”.

Following the judgment, Ude-Okoye has been parading himself as the national secretary of the PDP.

But Anyanwu said he appealed the judgment and also filed for a stay of execution at the supreme court same day the appeal court delivered the verdict in favour of Ude-Okoye.

‘PANEL WILL INTERFACE BOTH PARTIES’

Adolphus Wabara, chairman of the BoT, who read the communique, said members “expressed serious concerns over the unresolved challenges facing the party” and the disagreements within the national working committee (NWC).

“The BoT calls on the members of the NWC, all organs, leaders, and critical stakeholders of our party across the board to rise above personal, group, or sectional interests and place the stability, unity, sustenance, and progress of our party and its ideals above all other considerations,” Wabara said.

“In the effort to resolve the current crisis over the position of the national secretary of the party, which is presently before the courts, the BoT set up a committee led by barrister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, to interface with the parties, study the situation, and report to the Board for further action.”

Earlier on Wednesday, a fight broke out at the national secretariat of the PDP in Abuja when Ude-Okoye was not allowed to attend the meeting.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Ude-Okoye said “some people” attempted to attack him.

“Some people wanted to attack me, and I decided to move out in defence of myself. In defence of my life, I moved out,” he said.

Ude-Okoye claimed to be the authentic secretary of the party, saying he was invited to the BoT meeting.

“I am the national secretary of PDP. I assumed duty on the 30th of December 2024,” he said.