PDP NWC affirms Wike’s ally Sam Anyanwu as national secretary

The national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has affirmed Samuel Anyanwu as its national secretary.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Umar Damagum, acting national chairman of the PDP, said Anyanwu will resume as national secretary.

Damagum was flanked by Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi and chairman of the PDP’s Governors’ Forum; Abba Moro, lawmaker representing Benue south and minority leader of the senate; and other party officials.

Damagum said the resolution to recognise Anyanwu as national secretary was a “difficult” one.

Anyanwu, an ally of Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), was affirmed about 24 hours after members of the PDP NWC and several governors held a meeting with Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and other senior officials.

“Anyanwu is resuming as the national secretary,” Damagum said.

The acting chairman also said the planned national executive committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for June 30 will no longer hold.

He said, instead, an expanded national caucus meeting is scheduled for the date.

“At the next caucus, we will make a decision leading to a proper NEC. Like INEC said, they don’t have our notice, so we will have an extended caucus meeting on June 30,” he added.

BACKGROUND

The tussle for the national secretary position has contributed to the crisis rocking the nation’s biggest opposition platform.

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

In the same month, the south-east zonal executive committee of the party nominated Udeh-Okoye to replace Anyanwu after the latter became the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Imo in 2023.

Anyanwu would go on to obtain 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 verdict, Udeh-Okoye again pronounced himself the national secretary of the party.

In January, Anyanwu dismissed reports of a factionalised PDP, insisting that he was the authentic secretary.