As the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party persists, the embattled Senator Samuel Anyanwu has lambasted the Board of Trustees for affirming former National Youth Leader Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary.

Anyanwu, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, dismissed the BoT’s affirmation of Ude-Okoye, stating that most of the board’s members tenure elapsed since last October.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Chairman of the BoT and former Senate President, Adulphus Wabara, stated that after reviewing the committee report of Tanimu Turaki, the trustees confirmed the former National Youth Leader as the party’s secretary in accordance with the Appeal Court’s ruling.

PDP has been grappling with significant internal issues, both before and after the 2023 general elections. These struggles have contributed to ongoing instability within the party, leading to deep divisions among its members.

Umar Damagum, the acting National Chairman of the PDP, has faced increasing criticisms from party members. Many have held him responsible for the party’s continued difficulties, especially after he succeeded Iyorchia Ayu.

The crisis within the PDP has been further complicated by a disagreement over the National Secretary position. In 2023, the South East zone of the party nominated the former National Youth Leader to replace Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who had been selected as the party’s candidate for the Imo State governorship election. This nomination sparked further conflict within the party, with factions demanding Anyanwu stepped down due to his new political commitments.

On December 20, 2024, the Appeal Court in Enugu ruled in favor of Ude-Okoye, confirming him as the new National Secretary. This decision was communicated to the party leadership on December 24. However, the leadership crisis did not end there, as tensions continued to rise within the party over the issue of the National Secretary position.

Tensions escalated on January 28, when supporters of Anyanwu forcibly removed Ude-Okoye from a BoT meeting, prompting security forces to intervene and restore order. In response to this, PDP governors, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, endorsed the Court of Appeal’s decision and urged the National Working Committee to implement the ruling.

The governors also distanced themselves from Anyanwu, confirming Ude-Okoye as the legitimate National Secretary during a recent meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

Meanwhile, Anyanwu, in his petition to the Inspector-General of Police, the Supreme Court, and the Appeal Court on February 1, insisted that he remained the rightful PDP National Secretary. He described the endorsement of Ude-Okoye by the party’s governors as an act that would exacerbate the crisis and called for their intervention in the matter.

However, Wabara insisted the BoT’s decision was made after thoroughly reviewing all the issues and documents provided by Ude-Okoye and Anyanwu.

The BoT chairman, who read the communiqué, stated, “The Board of Trustees asserts its position as a prominent ORGAN of the PDP as enshrined under Section 13 (1) (r) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017)

“The BoT also asserts its inherent authority under Section 32 (5) (a) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) which empowers it to ensure highest standards of morality in all the activities of the party by acting as the conscience of the party, with powers to call to order any officer of the party, whose conduct falls below the norms.

“The BoT in exercise of its constitutional powers received, exhaustively considered and hereby adopt the report of its committee led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki SAN on the issue of the National Secretary of the PDP especially with regard to the declarative judgment of the High Court of Enugu as upheld by the Court of Appeal.

“Consequently, the BoT, by adopting the report, recognises Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP in full obedience to the declaratory Judgment of the High Court of Enugu as also upheld by the Court of Appeal there being no contrary or overriding judgment from any Court of superior jurisdiction.”

He stated that the BoT was pleased with the efforts of the PDP Governors’ Forum and the NWC in successfully setting Thursday, March 13th, 2025 as the date for the highly anticipated National Executive Committee meeting.

The communiqué read in part, “The BoT charges the National Working Committee (NWC) to recognise and immediately swear in Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of the PDP in obedience to the Judgment of the Court of Appeal.

“The BoT urges all party organs, critical stakeholders, leaders and members across the country as well as all democracy development partners and institutions to be guided by the judgment of the Court of Appeal with regard to the position of the National Secretary of the PDP.

“The BoT commends the PDP Governors’ Forum, the National Working Committee, South East Executive Committee and all other organs of the Party for their steadfastness in upholding the provisions of the Constitution and operational Guidelines of the PDP.

“The BoT expresses satisfaction with the PDP Governors’ Forum and the National Working Committee (NWC) for their concerted efforts in finally setting Thursday, March 13th, 2025 as the date for the much-anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of our Party especially bearing in mind that the NEC meeting is the platform for critical deliberations that will shape the future of our party and by extension, the future of Nigeria.”

A reliable source, who attended the BoT meeting but spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, stated that the Trustees endorsed Ude-Okoye based on the judgment and the expiration of Anyanwu’s temporary stay of execution.

He stated, “Turaki briefed the BoT members, and we unanimously affirmed Ude-Okoye. This is because the Appeal Court’s Enugu judgment is a declarative judgment that cannot be stayed.

“The second reason is that the purported stay of execution Anyanwu said he has was a temporary stay and not indefinite. It expired on January 27th. That was the day the motion for stay was supposed to be considered, but the matter did not come up, so the stay elapsed because it is time-bound.”

In response, Anyanwu, who described the BoT’s backing of Ude-Okoye as “unfortunate”, stated that he was still the National Secretary, as confirmed by the stay of execution granted by the Appeal Court, Division.

He stated, “The BoT position is unfortunate, especially when there is a stay of execution on the matter. Let’s talk about the BoT, 80 per cent of the members’ tenures expired in October 2024. Most states have already nominated their replacements, so they are just there for nothing. Whatever they say is not binding, and it is not the position of the law.

“They don’t have the legal backing to dictate anything for the party. They are just trying to complicate the issue. The matter is already in the Supreme Court, and there is a stay of execution on this matter, and I am the National Secretary.

“The BoT is not the NWC; they are just an advisory body. Moreover, the tenure of most members of the BoT, including Wabara, has expired, and nominees from most states are waiting to be sworn in. So, they don’t have the legal right to make such demands. You can’t build something on nothing.”

Similarly, a member of the PDP NWC, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, along with a NEC member and the former National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, called on Anyanwu to step down and allow Ude-Okoye take over as National Secretary.

On the other hand, other NEC members, including Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor, have supported Anyanwu remaining as the party’s scribe, while former National Publicity Secretary Diran Odeyemi proposed that the Governors’ Forum and BoT arrange a meeting with Anyanwu to discuss their position with him.

The source disclosed that most NWC members were already opposed to the unnecessary crisis surrounding the National Secretary seat and wanted it resolved immediately.

He stated, “Most members of the NWC are not happy that this crisis over the National Secretary has degenerated to this level. Most of them want it resolved now.

“The right thing to do is for Anyanwu to step aside and pursue his case in the Supreme Court. The BoT, Governors and other leaders of the party have spoken, so he should, in the interest of peace, step aside and allow the NWC to implement the judgment freely. If he fails to do so, with the judgment and the position of the Governors and BoT, then the crisis will continue to affect the party.”

Ologbondiyan urged Anyanwu to step aside if his actions were truly in the best interest of the party.

He stated “I think Senator Anyanwu should just accept the verdict and wishes of the party leaders unless there is something else in this matter.

“This is in the interest of the party. And the organs of the party are saying that you should go and prosecute the youth matter in the Supreme Court. So, Anyanwu should obey the court and the party leaders. When he wins the matter at the Supreme Court, he should bring it to the party.

“Plotting to remain as National Secretary despite the court judgment and the position of our leaders will set a very wrong precedent, and it will be unfortunate for our party.

“So, the BoT is the conscience of the party, and the Governors’ Forum, as the most influential organ of the party, has spoken. So, Anyanwu should obey.

“If what Anyanwu is fighting for is really in the interest of the party, I don’t think his actions should continue to hurt the party. So, I don’t foresee a situation where this will continue.”

Taking a different stance, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader Osadolor stated that Anyanwu should remain the National Secretary until the Supreme Court ruled otherwise.

He stated, “These are old men who are always biased. You see, the BoT should naturally be the conscience of the party and should not be seen taking sides. But that is not so with this Wabara-led BoT.

“They met in a hotel. I don’t know who’s the influencer, who’s the guardian, and issued their proclamations that they know are null and void. At the end of the day, instead of looking at how to best assuage and solve the problems that beset the party, the BoT, led by Senator Wabara, is further compounding the issues.

“And it’s a misnomer. When elders, who should ordinarily play the role of elders, are not playing the role and are not stepping into the arena, what do you expect? It’s unfortunate. Is Wabara not aware that once there is a stay of execution, or once there is a filing of a case at the Supreme Court, it automatically stays the judgment of the lower court?

“An elder should behave like an elder. It is unfortunate when he cannot behave like an elder. This is beyond emotions and party affiliation. It is an issue of legality now. The issue is in the Supreme Court. For the BoT chairman to be discussing the issue is subjudice and is an aberration. He should apologise.

“I may not like Senator Anyanwu, I may hate Senator Anyanwu, but does that change the fact of what the law of the land says? So, Anyanwu should continue in his capacity as secretary of PDP. The law says he can continue because there is a stay already.

“It is the law. We must learn to follow the law. Whether it pleases me or it pleases you, let the law remain sacrosanct. Nobody should be bigger than the law. We should not take sides with the law when it’s favourable or choose to take sides with the law when it’s not favourable.”

Odeyemi, on his part, urged the PDP governors and BoT to invite Anyanwu to a meeting to clarify their position.

The former Deputy National Publicity Secretary stated that this approach would help resolve the issues and foster lasting peace within the party.

He stated, “May God help PDP. If, in the wisdom of the BoT and Governors’ Forum, it is believed that endorsing Ude-Okoye will help achieve peace in PDP, may God help us.

“I think both the BoT and Governors’ Forum consist of eminent personalities who are very knowledgeable in the constitution of Nigeria and that of the PDP. They must have their reasons for endorsing Ude-Okoye as secretary. If the endorsement of Ude-Okoye will bring peace to PDP, then so be it.

“Anyanwu said he has gone to the Supreme Court. I think the BoT and the Governors’ Forum can do more by calling him and having a meeting with him so that peace can be fully achieved.”