February 03, (THEWILL) – Governor Dauda Lawal has reaffirmed the authority of the collective decision of the governors of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to address its lingering crisis regarding their support for Sunday Ude-Okoye as National Secretary.
Rising from a meeting held at the Government House, Asaba, Delta State, on Friday, the PDP governors, amid addressing other pressing national issues, reaffirmed their support for the Enugu appeal court’s decision affirming the nomination of Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary and called on the NWC to set up machinery for its effective implementation.
“The forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the National Working Committee regarding the position of the National Secretary and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment,” a communiqué issued at the meeting and read by the Forum’s Chairman and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, stated.
It further added, “consequently, the forum advised the NWC to put in place mechanisms for the effective implementation of the court ruling”.
The governors also advised the NWC to reschedule the National Executive Committee meeting earlier fixed for February to March 13, 2025, to ensure all statutory notices required by law are adhered to.
Reacting swiftly to the governor’s decision, the embattled National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, challenged the authority of the PDP Governors’ Forum, warning them to respect the rule of law in the interest of peace and national stability.
Anyanwu insisted that the governor’s decision contradicted a counter Abuja appeal court’s order that asked the party to maintain the status quo, pending the determination of his appeal at the Supreme Court.
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However, Governor Lawal who was in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Sunday to condole with Governor Seyi Makinde, over the passing of his elder brother, Sunday Makinde, stated that the crisis over the authentic party’s scribe would blow over soon with the implementation of the governor’s decision.
“We, the governors, are the leaders of this party. We have a say, and whatever we decide will be implemented.” Governor Lawal was quoted as saying in a state issued by the Special Adviser (Media) to Governor Makinde, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, on Sunday.
Olanrewaju further quoted the Zamfara governor as stating that there was nothing fundamentally wrong with the PDP and that the ongoing crisis, which is similar with what happens in other parties, is normal.
“In politics, there are always issues. With what happened in Delta two days ago, it shows we are making waves and are on track to reconnect with the people to lead this country,” Governor Lawal, who was accompanied by members of his cabinet, said.
THEWILL recalls 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 by 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.
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.
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.
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 the politics of 2027, with forces loyal to its presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, battling for control of party structure.
The current crisis increased in intensity since the fallouts of the 2023 general election when former National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu was removed by a court order and Umar Damagun appointed as acting National Chairman.
Ayu was an Atiku loyalist, who was accused of influencing his emergence as the party’s presidential candidate while Damagun is considered a loyalist to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He is yet to carry out reforms within the party, which Ayu, failing to implement, quickened his exit as National Chairman. Thus, polarised by its internal crisis, the party is yet to find peace. Even the disciplinary committee led by Chief Tom Ikimi could not carry out its work and the party’s BoT has been as helpless.
The current dispute over the position of the National Secretary has worsened the crisis since 2023, when the South-East zone of the party nominated a former National Youth Leader Ude-Okoye, a former National Youth Leader to replace Anyanwu, who emerged as the party’s candidate for the Imo State governorship election in that year.
Besides, the role of Wike in the lingering crisis has further worsened issues. His loyalists in the National Executive Committee, NEC, have taken sides with Anyanwu, kicking against the decision of the state governors to support Ude-Okoye, a National Secretary.
These members of the NEC include the Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, and a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi, who said Anyanwu remains the recognised scribe until the conduct of a national convention.
For accepting appointment in an APC administration and at a point threatening to set fire in any PDP state whose governor antagonised him, Wike was accused of being a spy for the governing party, plotting to destabilize it ahead of 2027.
The FCT Minister, however, rejected the allegation. “There is no governor today in the PDP, not anybody born of a woman can say I am an outsider. Who? I did a lot for the party. I dare anybody in the PDP to come out on national television. I dare any governor; l dare any National Working Committee member to come out on national television and say I am a mole. Let anybody come out,” Wike said.
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