PDP official ‘assaults’ journalist at party secretariat

Emmanuel Okoronkwo, a protocol officer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday reportedly assaulted Ndubuisi Orji, a journalist with The Sun newspaper. 

Okoronkwo, who is said to be an aide to Samuel Anyanwu, embattled national secretary of the PDP, attacked Orji who was attempting to enter the party’s headquarters in Abuja.

In a statement, Samuel Ogidan, chairman of the PDP press corps, described the incident as a “grave violation of press freedom and a direct assault on the rights of journalists”.

“As essential members of a functional democracy, journalists owe the society an obligation to carry out their duties without fear of violence or any form of intimidation,” the statement reads.

“This incident is not only a breach of Mr Orji’s fundamental human rights but also undermines the core principles of free speech and media independence, a virtue which the PDP lays claim to.

“Eyewitness accounts indicate that Okoronkwo attacked Mr Orji after first physically preventing him from gaining access to the national secretariat.

“As Orji made for his vehicle parked outside the vicinity of the secretariat, Okoronkwo pounced on him with a series of slaps heralding other forms of physical assault until private security guards attached to the secretariat rescued him.

“His mobile telephone was damaged during the attack.

“In a fit of rage, Anyanwu’s aide threatened to ‘deal with’ Mr Orji, boasting that nothing would happen because he was acting on the instructions of his principal who gave specific instructions that journalists should be barred from entering the building by any means possible including the use of physical force.

“This suggests that the assault may have been sanctioned by the former national secretary, raising serious concerns about the party’s position on press freedom.

“We were, to say the least, alarmed when we reached out to Senator Anyanwu who confirmed that he gave instructions restricting movement into the secretariat ‘because the party is on a break’.

“This, to say the least, confirms our fears of the clear and present danger to our democratically guaranteed rights to keep Nigerians well informed about happenings around them.

“The right to information and the freedom to report is fundamental to ensuring transparency, accountability, and good governance in any democracy.

“This is even more so that the party has been embroiled in a leadership tussle with a court order confirming Anyanwu’s removal from office.

“The PDP Press Corps is deeply alarmed by the use of physical force against any human being not just a journalist.

“The media plays a crucial role in holding leaders accountable and fostering public debate.

“Any action that hinders these rights, particularly by individuals within a political party, poses a dangerous threat to democratic processes.”

Ogidan said the incident has been reported to the police, adding that the perpetrator should face the wrath of the law.

‘I’D FIND OUT WHAT THE ISSUES ARE’

When reached for comments, Anyanwu said he is in Lagos and was not aware of the incident.

“Emma is a protocol officer of the party and not my direct aide. Again, I have not been in Abuja since the 23rd of December 2024. I will come in briefly today, and I will find out what the issues are,” he said.

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

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

Anyanwu had obtained several court injunctions preventing his removal from office.

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

‘HE ACTED ON HIS OWN’

The PDP said the official will be investigated and appropriate action taken against him if found guilty.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday, Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, said the party is committed to the rule of law and free press.

Ologunagba said the PDP “condemns and completely dissociates itself from such act of violence and attack on members of the press and the institution of the media which is critical to the activities of our party and the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria”.

“For clarity, whereas the PDP national secretariat is closed for secretarial activities to enable our staff to participate in the yuletide festivities with their families, it does not preclude anybody, particularly the press, from having access to the secretariat to conduct their legitimate business,” he said.

“Moreover, Mr Emmanuel Okoronkwo is not in the security department of the party and has no business whatsoever regarding the regulation of movements into the complex.

“He acted on his own, in violation of democratic and all-inclusive principles which the PDP is known and outside the code of conduct guiding activities of staff at the PDP national secretariat.”

The PDP spokesperson added that the incident will be “handled in strict compliance with the party’s established code of conduct guiding activities of staff at the PDP national secretariat, to serve as a deterrent against such condemnable act which has no place whatsoever in the character and comportment of the PDP as a political party”.