PDP group: Samuel Anyanwu remains national secretary… no one can destroy our party

The Concerned People’s Democratic League (CPDPL) says Samuel Anyanwu remains the authentic national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Daboikiabo Warmate, leader of the group, said some party members are moving to remove Anyanwu as PDP national secretary.

BACKGROUND

The PDP is embroiled in a fresh leadership crisis, with Anyanwu and Udeh-Okoye laying claim to the position of national secretary.

In December 2024, the court of appeal ruled that Udeh-Okoye should replace Anyanwu as 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 preventing 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 party.

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.

On January 31, governors elected on the PDP platform recognised Udeh-Okoye as the scribe of the party.

About a week later, the party’s board of trustees (BoT) aligned with the governors.

‘ANYANWU REMAINS NATIONAL SECRETATY’

Warmate accused Ikenga Ugochinyere, a member of the house of representatives, Debo Olunulagba, PDP spokesperson, Kamaladin Ajibade, national legal adviser, and Adolphus Wabara, chairman of the board of trustees (BoT), of engaging in actions that are deepening the crisis in the national working committee (NWC) leadership.

“We, therefore, urge all PDP faithful who are ignorantly supporting an illegality and disaster of Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as national secretary to stop forthwith and retract their steps,” he said.

Warmate said nobody or group of persons can “destroy or destabilise PDP,” insisting that Anyanwu “remains the authentic PDP national secretary in line with the party constitution”.