The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s internal rift has reached another boiling point Wednesday, with 11 members of the National Working Committee (NWC) rejecting the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
This showdown came after the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, declared Anyanwu’s return to the National Secretary role and canceled the 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for June 30.
However, the PDP’s internal rift deepened after the NWC, led by figures like Deputy National Chairman (South) Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja and National Publicity Secretary Hon. Debo Ologunagba, swiftly denounced these moves as unconstitutional.
Citing Section 31(3) of the PDP Constitution, they insisted that no individual or organ can override the NEC’s resolution to defer decisions on the National Secretary position until the next meeting.
The statement reads in part: “Furthermore, the claim by Amb. Damagum that Sen. Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the Party is therefore misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, 30th June, 2025, has not been cancelled or postponed.
“The pronouncements by the Acting National Chairman have no foundation.
“No organ of the party, including the NWC, individual or group, has the power to cancel, overrule, veto, or vary the resolution of the NEC under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention.
“By Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday, 30th June 2025, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters, and members of the party.”
The controversy surrounding Anyanwu, a loyalist of of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, emerged after he vacated his position to run for governor in Imo State in 2023.
Following the decision, PDP’s NWC directed the Southeast Zonal Executive Committee to nominate a replacement, leading to the endorsement of Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary.
Anyanwu, however, rejected the move, insisting he never resigned from his position.
This led to a court case as both Anyanwu and Udeh-Okoye challenged their claim to the National Secretary seat.
After several back-and-forths, the Supreme Court ruling in March 2025 pronounced Anyanwu as the authentic National Secretary.
The supreme court emphasized that party leadership matters are internal affairs, overturning an earlier Appeal Court decision perceived to have tilted in favour of Udeh-Okoye as the apex court ruling is believed to have some controversial connotations.
