Eleven members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have opposed the return of Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s national secretary, sparking internal turmoil within the party’s leadership.
On Wednesday, Umar Damagum, the acting national chairman of the PDP, announced during a press conference that Anyanwu would resume his role as the national secretary.
The press briefing, attended by Bala Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, and Abba Moro, Minority Leader of the Senate, signaled a major decision by the party’s hierarchy.
Damagum also revealed that the planned National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, originally scheduled for June 30, had been canceled.
This announcement has since been met with stiff resistance from a faction of the NWC.
In a joint statement, 11 members of the NWC rejected Anyanwu’s reinstatement, declaring it inconsistent with the party’s constitution.
“The pronouncements by the acting national chairman have no foundation, as no organ of the party, including the NWC, individual, or group, has the power to cancel, overrule, veto, or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC),” the statement read.
They also refuted the claim that the June 30 NEC meeting had been canceled.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, 30th June, 2025, has not been canceled or postponed,” the group asserted.
The dissenting NWC members include Taofeek Arapaja (Deputy National Chairman, South), Setonji Koshoedo (Acting National Secretary), Ahmed Mohammed (National Treasurer), and Debo Ologunagba (National Publicity Secretary), among others. They maintain that Anyanwu’s reinstatement lacks due process.
The controversy stems from a protracted legal battle over the national secretary position.
In December 2024, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Sunday Udeh-Okoye, directing that he replace Anyanwu after the latter emerged as the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate in Imo State in 2023.
Despite the court ruling, Anyanwu filed for a stay of execution at the Supreme Court.
However, in March 2025, the Supreme Court declared the matter an internal party affair and set aside previous rulings.
Following this, the PDP governors recommended that Koshoedo serve as acting secretary until a substantive replacement is confirmed.
In early June, PDP stakeholders led by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, called for Anyanwu to complete his tenure, which ends in December. This faction included former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Samuel Ortom.
Amid the chaos, the South-East Zonal Executive Committee of the PDP remains insistent that Udeh-Okoye be recognized as the national secretary. Their May 14 warning to leave the party unless this is resolved underscores the stakes in the ongoing power tussle.
The upcoming NEC meeting on June 30, though now disputed, is expected to address these contentious issues. PDP insiders suggest it will be a decisive moment in the battle for the party’s future direction.
