Barring any last-minute changes, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to hold its first meeting of the year on Wednesday.
The meeting comes amid a new leadership crisis, with two individuals—Sunday Ude-Okoye and Senator Sam Anyanwu—each claiming to be the party’s legitimate National Secretary.
The dispute stems from a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal in Enugu, which upheld Ude-Okoye’s nomination by the PDP’s South East Zone as a replacement for Anyanwu. Anyanwu had previously resigned from the position to contest the Imo State governorship election.
Following his defeat in the governorship race, Anyanwu has sought to reclaim his former role, arguing that there is no vacancy. He maintains that his resignation was tied solely to his governorship ambitions and does not nullify his claim to the National Secretary position.
Conversely, Ude-Okoye asserts that his nomination, along with the court’s ruling, solidifies his legitimacy as the rightful occupant of the office.
This disagreement has deeply divided the NWC and the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), with both sides rallying support from key party leaders.
On Monday and Tuesday, Anyanwu resumed duties at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, despite the ongoing dispute. He cited legal grounds to justify his actions, asserting that his position remains valid due to a pending appeal at the Supreme Court and an application for a stay of execution of the appellate court’s judgment.
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“Once an application for a stay of execution is filed and pending, it operates as a bar to the execution of the judgment until the application is determined,” Anyanwu explained, referencing precedents from the Nigerian Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. He cautioned against any attempts to undermine his role, describing such actions as unlawful and detrimental to the party’s unity.
Meanwhile, Ude-Okoye has reportedly secured the backing of some NWC and BoT members, setting the stage for a potential confrontation at Wednesday’s meeting. If both claimants attend, the NWC could face significant challenges in determining who will occupy the position pending the Supreme Court’s final decision.
This leadership standoff highlights the deepening divisions within the PDP as it struggles with internal disputes that threaten to derail its focus ahead of critical political contests.
With the party already bogged down by infighting, all eyes will be on Wednesday’s meeting, where the NWC is expected to address the contentious National Secretary issue.
