TheCable

The south-east zonal executive committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has nominated S.K Udeh-Okoye to replace Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s national secretary.

In a communique dated October 20, the south-east PDP said the unanimous decision was reached at a meeting attended by members across the geopolitical zone on Friday.

Party members in the region expressed the view that Anyanwu assuming the roles of national secretary and standard-bearer for the PDP in Imo would prove to be a distraction.

The stakeholders resolved to forward Udeh-Okoye’s name, who hails from Enugu to the national working committee (NWC) of the party.

They also resolved to do “everything humanly possible” to ensure Anyanwu wins the gubernatorial election in Imo.

The decision to replace Anyanwu had stirred controversy within the primary opposition party.

Adolphus Wabara, acting chair of the PDP board of trustees (BoT), had asked Samuel Anyanwu to resign as the party’s national secretary on the ground of being the governorship candidate in the November 11 election in Imo state.

But Nyesom Wike, minister of federal capital territory (FCT), countered Wabara saying he does not have the authority to declare who can occupy the office of national secretary of the party.

In April, Anyanwu became a gubernatorial candidate for the forthcoming election in Imo scheduled for November 11.

Anyanwu, a former senator, polled 802 votes at the election which took place on Wednesday in Owerri, the state’s capital.

He was the sole candidate in the race following the withdrawal of other aspirants.

The former senator will slug it out with Hope Uzodimma who is seeking a second term in office.