Senator Samuel Anyanwu, one of the candidates for the position of National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has rejected the Board of Trustees’ (BoT) decision for the National Working Committee (NWC) to swear in his rival, Sunday Ude-Okoye.
Anyanwu questioned the direction, citing the pending court case and the expiration of tenures for around 80% of the BoT members who attended the meeting at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
He further stated that neither he nor the National Chairman, who is also a member of the Board of Trustees, were invited to attend the meeting. Anyanwu remarked, “I am a member of the BoT; I was not invited to the meeting, nor was the National Chairman.”
This reveals a lot. In any event, the tenures of almost 80% of those present at the conference expired in October of last year. They are also aware that the case is in court. Chairman Wabara, who was summoned to court, sent a representative. Their counsel is just an advice that cannot be taken seriously.”
Following an emergency meeting at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, the BoT had previously instructed the NWC to swear in Sunday Ude-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary in accordance with the Enugu High Court’s ruling, which was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
As he read the communiqué, BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara emphasized that the board had carefully considered the matter and adopted the recommendations of the Saminu Turaki-led committee, which had reviewed the court rulings on the dispute between Senator Anyanwu and Hon. Ude-Okoye over the National Secretary Position.
The BoT, in its resolution, confirmed its status as a major instrument of the PDP and highlighted its constitutional mandate to enforce the highest standards of morality inside the party.
The board instructed the NWC to swear in Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye right away after recognizing him as the substantive National Secretary. The BoT also urged all members, stakeholders, and party organs to follow the Court of Appeal’s ruling on the National Secretary’s position.
They applauded the efforts of the PDP Governors’ Forum, NWC, and South East Executive Committee in maintaining the party’s constitutional provisions.
In his introductory remarks, Wabara stated that the PDP remains the party of choice for Nigerians, underlining the significance of unity and concerted efforts to overcome the difficulties plaguing the party. He added that the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which is set for March 13, 2025, is an important forum for determining the direction of the party and the nation.
Wabara stated that due to security concerns, the NEC meeting would take place outside the party’s National Secretariat. He called on the party’s leadership to take immediate action to resolve these security concerns in order to guarantee a secure setting for upcoming gatherings.
Despite the challenges, Wabara reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to democratic governance and national unity, positioning the party as the leading force for progress and prosperity in Nigeria.
Not to mention that Senator Anyanwu, the PDP’s nominee for governor in 2023, had previously served as National Secretary.
Nevertheless, during a conference in Enugu, South East PDP stakeholders decided to designate Ude-Okoye as his successor, claiming that the role belonged to the region.
Former governors and key party leaders, including Senator Wabara, the chairman of the BoT, and Senator Ahmed Makarfi, the secretary of the BoT, attended the meeting.