February 02, (THEWILL) – The embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has challenged the authority of the PDP Governors’ Forum, warning them to respect the rule of law in the interest of peace and national stability.
This comes after the PDP Governors, led by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, issued a communiqué on Friday endorsing the Appeal Court ruling that sacked Anyanwu and recognised Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s authentic National Secretary.
THEWILL reports that the legal tussle between Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye has created deep divisions within the party, with both camps laying claim to the position.
The Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal had, on December 20, 2024, affirmed Ude-Okoye’s nomination as National Secretary. However, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal countered this ruling, granting a stay of execution and ordering both parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of Anyanwu’s appeal at the Supreme Court.
Despite the Abuja court’s directive, the PDP Governors’ Forum, rising from its meeting in Asaba, Delta State, directed the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to implement the Enugu judgment by recognising Ude-Okoye as National Secretary.
In a swift reaction, Anyanwu dismissed the governors’ directive, insisting that it contradicts the Abuja court’s order. In a strongly worded petition titled “Security Alert,” addressed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Anyanwu warned of potential security breaches resulting from the governors’ actions.
The petition, which was also copied to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the President of the Court of Appeal, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, accused the governors of undermining judicial authority.
The petition read, “There is an urgent need for the Police to take note of paragraph 3 of the communiqué issued by the PDP Governors’ Forum after their meeting in Asaba on January 31, 2025.
“In the said paragraph, the Forum advised the NWC to set up machinery for the implementation of the Enugu Court of Appeal judgment, which favoured Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary. However, this directive runs contrary to the Abuja Court of Appeal’s order directing both parties to maintain the status quo pending the final determination of the case at the Supreme Court.”
Anyanwu also accused Ude-Okoye of resorting to violence, alleging that he stormed the PDP National Secretariat with “hired thugs” to disrupt the recent Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting in Abuja, an act he described as a violation of the rule of law.
“It is saddening that the governors, in their supposed wisdom, have allowed themselves to be misled by sponsors of Ude-Okoye, some of whom are under criminal investigation for forging PDP guidelines used to secure questionable court rulings,” the petition added.
The PDP scribe warned that any attempt by the NWC to enforce the governors’ directive would be “an invitation to chaos” and a direct affront to judicial authority.
“I remain the validly elected National Secretary of the PDP until a competent court rules otherwise. In the interest of peace, safety of lives, and property of innocent Nigerians, all parties must adhere to the Abuja Court of Appeal’s directive to maintain the status quo. Anything contrary will be vehemently resisted,” Anyanwu declared.
The crisis, which has already seen violent clashes between rival supporters, threatens to further destabilise the PDP as it grapples with internal divisions ahead of key political engagements in 2025.
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