Battle for Control: PDP’s NWC at Odds Over Secretary, Vice Chair Posts

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An ominous dark cloud hung over the Wadata Plaza prior to Wednesday’s meeting of the Board of Trustees, or BoT, and the Peoples Democratic Party, or PDP.

Some party members, referring to themselves as South-East caucus members, had convened the day before and cast a vote of confidence in Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the party’s beleaguered national secretary.

The gathering was clearly a forerunner to the BoT meeting as well as a response to a previous South-East PDP meeting that had taken place over the weekend in the Enugu Government House.

Recalls that the zone reaffirmed its support for Hon. S.K.E. Udeh-Okoye as the party’s national secretary during the Enugu meeting, which was attended by Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, the zone’s party leader.

Anyanwu has been engaged in the most arduous political battle of his life since the South-East PDP took his place when he resigned to run for governor of Imo State.

Armed with a favorable ruling from the Appeal Court, Ude-Okoye has been asserting his claim to the office. However, Anyawnu claims that in addition to appealing the ruling, he has also requested a stay of execution.

Additionally, the zone’s party has persisted in working with Chief Ali Odefa, whose ward’s suspension was upheld by the Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

The South-East PDP members have become polarized in the race for both slots. Some of them support the former camp of Vice President Atiku Abubakar, while others are favored by Minister Nyesom Wike of the Federal Capital Territory, or FCT.

The purpose of the Enugu meeting was to restate the zone’s position in front of the BoT meeting yesterday, Wednesday. Odefa read a statement following the meeting.

Former Senate President and party chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Senate Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu, and other National Assembly members, as well as former governors and ministers, were also present at the meeting.

As stated in the press release: “The party also deliberated on internal crisis bedeviling the party at the national level and the attempts to encroach on the jurisdictions of the party in the South-East.

“The meeting deliberated on the unfortunate, but contrived controversies surrounding the Office of the National Secretary of the PDP zoned to the South East region.

“In line with the party’s principle of inclusivity, the ZEC meeting equally discussed the zoning of national and zonal offices of the party in the South East region.

“Consequently, the South East Zonal Executive of the PDP hereby resolves as follows:

“That South East PDP is one, big, and united family. We are capable of handling any issues arising in-house;

“That South East PDP frowns at any attempt to fan embers of disaffection or precipitate crisis in the party in the region;

“That the party commends the Court of Appeal judgement upholding Hon. S.K.E Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of the party in line with the constitution of our party and the position of the South East ZEC of our party.

“We also remain consistent and united in this position that Hon. Udeh-Okoye remains the National Secretary of our party. We continue to trust the judiciary to continuously do justice on the matter;

“Finally, that the ZEC meeting hereby adopts the zoning of national and zonal offices of the party.”

However, Under the sponsorship of the South-East PDP caucus, Anyanwu and his group also convened at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja a few days later. During the meeting that Governor Mbah and other party leaders from the zone, including Wabara, the head of the Board of Technology, boycotted, he received a resounding endorsement.

The two main outcomes of the meeting, which was chaired by Anyanwu and Deputy National Legal Advisor Okechukwu Osuoha, were the vote of confidence in Anyanwu and the approval of Ali Odefa’s dismissal as PDP National Vice Chairman, South East, and his replacement by Chidebere Ugwu.

Anyanwu claimed following the vote of confidence that: “I was elected through a national convention, and it is only through a convention that I can be removed.”

After that, there was a fight in the BoT meeting.

In anticipation of the February National Executive Committee, or NEC, meeting, the party had its first meeting of the Board of Directors on Wednesday.

According to reports, 11 members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) had blatantly deserted Umar Damagum, the acting national chairman, and Anyanwu, the beleaguered national secretary, before the meeting.

Among them were Taofeek Arapaja, the Deputy National Chairman for the South; Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, the National Legal Advisor; Yayari Ahmed, the National Treasurer; Setonji Ikoshoedo, the National Deputy Secretary; Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary; Daniel Woyengikuro, the National Financial Secretary; and Amina Bryhm, the National Women Leader.

Other members are National Vice Chairman North-East Emmanuel Bovoa, National Vice Chairman South East Ali Odefa, National Auditor Obi Okechukwu, and National Vice Chairman North-West Hayatu Gwarzo.

The BoT meeting served as a prelude to the next NEC, which has seen multiple postponements, as we recall.

Ude-Okoye arrived, already supported by his zone, and was seated as the National Secretary of the party until Anyanwu showed up.

Suspected goons were seen dragging an irate Ude-Okoye out of the meeting location in a widely shared video.

He was heard yelling and calling on his followers to act.

At the time this report was filed, the party secretariat was overrun by security forces consisting of the police, military, and civil defense corps.

Wabara and Damagum accuse each other.

Umar Damagum, the party’s acting national chairman, expressed his anger at some of the leaders’ conduct and accused them of escalating the crisis when the dust settled and the BoT meeting got underway.

However, Adolphus Wabara, the chairman of the Board of Trustees, had all of his fingers pointing at the National Working Committee, or NWC, which is led by Damagum, when he was attacking the party’s leaders.

This is what Damadum said: “I want to use this opportunity to assure the BoT just like the (BoT) chairman has reiterated: there is a crisis within the national working committee (NWC). It is normal.

“Unfortunately, I want to say this with a high sense of responsibility, most of these crises that you see today within the NWC are propelled by our leaders who are supposed to unite us.

“It is very unfortunate. I would say it the way it is. We all know the workings of the NWC. Some of you here have been members of the NWC members.

“I’m sitting down here as the chairman only to see my members called by certain leaders to visit certain places without even my knowledge.

“I want to use this opportunity to caution us and our leaders. You may have ambition but you don’t ride on a dead horse to reach your destination.

“If you create a crisis simply to further your ambition, you may get what you want but your dream will not be realised because you have injured the horse you are going to ride to your destination.

“As the conscience (BoT) of this party, some of us are also complicit. We should look inward, and search our conscience. This party is dear to all of us. It is the only thing we have.

“The hope of Nigerians today is in this party. So, we should sheath our swords and work towards uniting ourselves so that they would have a credible vehicle that can challenge what is bedevilling us.”

Regarding the planned NEC meeting in February, he stated, “The last meeting we had with the governors, we all agreed that we would have the NEC. And I want to assure you that we would do everything possible to have the NEC this February.

“You are all aware that we have started the process of zonal congresses. Even at that, I enjoin our leaders to also be mindful of doing anything that can mar these congresses. It is very important to sound this note.”

Wabara assigned the NWC the responsibility of making sure the NEC meeting went as planned, but he also conveyed his ire at the crisis that was roiling the organization.

He said, “This meeting comes at a time when the unity, focus, direction and ideals of our great Party are being tested in ways that call for reflection and decisive action.

“Primarily, let me express my profound disappointment over the crises currently rocking the leadership of the National Working Committee (NWC).

“As elder statesmen and women; leaders who hold the trust of the generality of our party members and the public, it is disheartening that these issues have not been resolved.

“The failure to resolve these internal conflicts undermines the strength and credibility of our party. It is, therefore, imperative that the NWC rises above personal interests and places the survival and progress of our great party above all other considerations.

“Nigerians are looking to us as a beacon of hope, and we cannot afford to let them down. We must rebuild trust and offer a credible alternative that prioritizes the welfare of the people.”

The party has started taking action to end the situation in the meantime.

The BoT established a committee on Wednesday under the direction of Barrister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki to communicate with the crisis’s parties, investigate the situation, and report back to the Board for additional action.

Following its 79th BoT meeting, the following statement was released: “The Board of Trustees at its 79th meeting today, Wednesday, January 29, 2025, critically assessed the State of affairs of the Nation and the Party and resolved as follows:

“The BoT expresses serious concerns over the unresolved challenges facing the Party especially as related to the disagreements within the National Working Committee, NWC.

“The BoT calls on the members of the NWC, all Organs, leaders and critical stakeholders of our Party across board to rise above personal, group or sectional interests and place the stability, unity, sustenance and progress of our Party and its ideals above all other considerations.

“In the effort to resolve the current crisis over the position of the National Secretary of the Party, which is presently before the Courts, the BoT set up a committee led by Barr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki SAN to interface with the parties, study the situation and report to the Board for further action.

“The Acting National Chairman assured the BoT that the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will hold as scheduled in February 2025 to address all pertinent issues and reaffirm our shared commitment to the unity, discipline, and ideals that bind us together as members of the PDP.”

Anyanwu, Ude-Okoye brought Ndigbo shame – Okechukwu

Speaking to newsmen, the immediate past Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, VON, Mr Osita Okechukwu said a resort to self-help was totally condemnable.

Okechukwu, a chieftain of the APC, said the development was a clear indication that the centre can no longer hold within the PDP.

“If anybody believes he is practicing democracy, democracy in every scenario provides a way out; which is the rule of law.

“You don’t need to resort to self-help; fighting means that you are resorting to self-help.

“So, the rule of law, it might take time before the law is pronounced, but in spite of that, it is better than self-help. Look at the shame they brought to us who are their brothers.

“And the fight they fought today will not end the matter; how many hours will they fight more to resolve the matter?

“I thought that Anyanwu as a Senator, should have been wise enough to know that there is no need to fight dirty; that the best is to go back and resort to law court, or Ude-Okoye could have done so, either.

“Because, I know they are in court already, whatever it is, if you don’t wait for the court, it then means you don’t know what you are doing. I condemn both of them for not waiting for the court to resolve their matter.

“And for the leadership of the party allowing this to degenerate to that level, but as you know, the painful thing for the PDP is that the centre can no more hold,” Okechukwu stated.

PDP: Politics is not a tea party. Nnaji, a former national auditor

Barr Ray Nnaji, the party’s former national auditor, stated that Wednesday’s events were a natural part of politics.

In an interview, he informed reporters that, “politics is not a tea party; it is expected at any given time, especially a big party.

“Two of them have been fighting over that position; one person said he has judgement from the Appeal Court, another person said he has gone to Supreme Court and has a stay of execution.

“If there is an order of stay of execution, then the person is supposed to be allowed pending the determination of appeal but if there is nothing like that, he is supposed to give way; notice of appeal or filing of stay of execution does not mean you have a stay of execution, except the appeal has been entered in the Supreme Court, then it stands as a stay in itself.

“But there is nothing you can do; you cannot tell any of them to stay out, so you allow them to flex their muscle; if what they are doing is beyond what the party should contain, the party should set up a disciplinary committee to look into their grievances, and take a position.”

Nnaji replied as follows when questioned if the physical altercation wasn’t pushing the group deeper into the mud: “I don’t think there is any image it is damaging; by the time the thing is resolved finally, everybody moves on.

“It is not damaging anything. What Trump did in 2021 on Capital Hill, did it damage the image of America? They contained it and eventually he came back. So, that is politics for you.”

“If Trump could get people who came out and reacted in America of all places, there were over 1000, now he is back, and freed all of them.

“That is to tell you that politics is survival of the fittest,” The PDP leader went on to say.

Atiku, meantime, had earlier in the week charged that the All Progressives Congress, or APC, was spreading the seeds of strife among opposition party members, including the PDP.

Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary for the ruling APC, stated the PDP was collapsing and even went so far as to accuse the party of giving N50 million each to certain party stakeholders in order to create a crisis.

It was regrettable, according to Morka, that Atiku and the other PDP members were not concentrating on their internal issues.

He said: “The PDP is imploding. That is, you know, clear to everyone. It’s imploding not because of APC or what APC is doing or has done.

“As a matter of fact, the APC is doing nothing, we are busy minding our business and worrying about our own matters, sorting out our own internal issues, building cohesion and preparing for whatever contests that may come.

“The PDP should do the same. They should focus on their internal problems. But unfortunately, Atiku Abubakar and all of those in the PDP prefer to simply point fingers, busy themselves accusing the APC of attempting to destabilize the PDP and the opposition parties for that matter, we are doing no such thing.

“Look, only very bad workmen blame the tools. In this instance, the PDP has proven completely unable, utterly incompetent, to manage their own internal affairs. How then do they begin, as they do to tout themselves capable of governing Nigeria when they cannot even manage their own very little, small internal issues,” On Arise Television, he remarked.

The Labour Party also denied that it had received any satisfaction from the APC.

The LP refuted the allegation in a statement released by Obiora Ifoh, its National Publicity Secretary.

“Never has the leadership of the party received a dime from any individual, group, organization, or government who are not members of the Labour Party,” he said.

Atiku should not “throw a shade at the entire opposition without also putting forward a tangible proof other than a ‘gossip’ from an unnamed source,” the statement said.

“We are shocked that a high caliber politician who has contested the election all his life and is often regarded as a very experienced politician could make such a wild, unguarded and unfounded statement.

“For us in the Labour Party, a party which has remained the strongest and most veritable opposition and which speaks truth to power; a party that led the most serious campaign in the 2023 general election and has been steadfast and has remained the voice of the people, we view that statement as demeaning, ignominious, reckless and a let down from someone like Atiku Abubakar.

“We want to put it on record that the Labour Party has run a frugal administration from funds internally generated, having not received support from our elected representatives. And in spite of the challenges the party has faced in the recent past, the leadership of the party has remained solid and committed to the ideals of the party.

“The leadership has not received any salary from anybody. Salaries are not hidden and it is not difficult to verify who and who are on the government payroll. It is a public document and it can be verified. We therefore advise Atiku to be circumspect and careful in generalizing certain allegations. We expect him to speak for himself and his party.

“The opposition is the oxygen of any virile democracy, because it helps put the government in power in proper checks while also ensuring inclusivity in democratic participation. Democracy without opposition is an autocracy and it takes a lot of sacrifices to sustain opposition.

“It is therefore frustrating and unpatriotic when leaders who ought to know better, begin to derive joy in denigrating the opposition camp and making jests of their sacrifices.

“We are therefore calling on Atiku Abubakar to provide concrete evidence to substantiate his allegations without which Nigerians will be forced to take every other of his statements with a pinch of salt and are politically motivated,” the party stated.


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