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Tag: Anyanwu

  • Anyanwu has no constitutional power to void NWC decision, says PDP

    Anyanwu has no constitutional power to void NWC decision, says PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday reaffirmed that the dissolution of its Akwa Ibom State chapter and the constitution of a caretaker committee remain binding and irreversible.

    Addressing journalists at an interactive session, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, faulted National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu for attempting to void the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC), insisting he acted beyond his constitutional powers.

    Quoting provisions of the PDP Constitution, Ologunagba stressed that only the National Chairman has the authority to summon meetings of the party. He added that the 607th NWC meeting was duly convened, with 16 out of 18 members present, and valid decisions—including on the Akwa Ibom matter—were taken.

    He dismissed speculations of a rift between the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary over the conduct of congresses in some states and the appointment of the caretaker committee in Akwa Ibom.

    Ologunagba emphasized the need for all party leaders to respect the constitutional limits of their offices, noting that the role of the National Secretary has often been misunderstood.

    He further disclosed that the planned elective National Convention in Ibadan will hold as scheduled, assuring that all committees involved are working tirelessly to ensure a smooth and successful convention.

    He said, “The Ibadan convention is on course. It is holding as planned. The committees are working hard, and I can assure you that Ibadan is waiting to receive the PDP. Nothing and nobody will stop the convention from holding.”

    He alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress was jittery over its planned convention and the fact that it was putting its house in order ahead of the next round of elections.

    He, however, dismissed the President’s Independence Day broadcast, alleging that it was full of statistics that cannot be verified, while asking the President to explain to the nation what the loans being taken by the government were meant for.

  • Fresh crisis hits PDP as Damagum, Anyanwu forward conflicting letters to INEC

    Fresh crisis hits PDP as Damagum, Anyanwu forward conflicting letters to INEC

    • Chairman, Secretary differ over Plateau, Cross River, Kebbi state congresses
    • Legal implications threaten outcome of national convention
    • Party considers new date to end sale of nomination forms

    A fresh crisis is brewing within the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which may have grave implications for the party’s November 15-16 national convention in Ibadan, The Nation has learnt.

    Sources close to the party’s National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Ilyas Damagum, and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, confirmed at the weekend that the two party leaders have fired conflicting memos to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over party congresses in three states where contending interests are seeking to determine party leadership and gather delegate votes.

    “The implications may not be too good for our party’s future as ongoing frictions over few state congresses can get the scheduled national convention or its outcome all trussed up in serious litigations that can hamper hopes of early preparations for the 2027 elections,” a federal lawmaker told our correspondent.

    Findings indicate that after a meeting with few party leaders in his house, Damagum sent a letter to INEC on Thursday, September 25, stating that state congresses scheduled for Saturday, September 27, 2025 in Cross River, Plateau and Kebbi states had been postponed due to “unforeseen circumstances and operational logistic challenges.”

    Damagum’s letter indicated that the decision to postpone state congresses in the three states was that of the PDP National Working Committee.

    He also stated that a new date would be determined and communicated to INEC in due course.

    “The National Working Committee of our great party hereby postpones the state congresses in Cross River, Plateau and Kebbi states. A new date will be communicated to the Commission,” he stated.

    However, the following day, Friday, 26th September, PDP National Secretary Anyanwu, who did not attend the meeting with Damagum, countered with another letter to INEC indicating that state congresses will proceed as scheduled in the three states and asked that Damagum’s letter be ignored by INEC.

    Emphasising legal provisions in the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution, Anyanwu asserted that any purported party correspondence to INEC without the signatures of both the National Chairman and National Secretary is of no effect whatsoever.

    He further told INEC that in view of earlier effective communication by the party, the party congress in the three states will go on as scheduled.

    “This is to confirm to the Commission that the congress will hold as originally scheduled and has not been postponed. The earlier letter signed by the National Chairman should be ignored,” Anyanwu stated.

    There are concerns that if the contending interests on either side fail to resolve the issue, delegates from the affected states may approach the courts to either stop the national convention or invalidate its outcome on the basis that they were unduly prevented from exercising their right to vote.

    Party considers new date to end sale of nomination forms

    Amidst ongoing power dynamics as the opposition party prepares for its November 15-16 national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, the party’s National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) has shifted the deadline for some activities indefinitely.

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    The move appears focused on getting more aspirants to show interest in various positions.

    A statement issued at the weekend by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, who is also the Secretary of the PDP NCOC Publicity Sub-Committee, gave no new dates for the two activities.

    Ologunagba stated: “The National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) of the PDP has extended the deadline for the submission of completed Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for aspirants contesting in the November 15th to 16th 2025 Elective National Convention of the party in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital from the earlier announced date of Friday, September 26th, 2025.

    “In the same vein, the NCOC has approved the shifting of the date for the Screening of Aspirants for the National Convention from the earlier scheduled date of Tuesday, September 30th, 2025.

    “The extension is necessitated by the need to ensure all necessary arrangements for the smooth conduct of the exercise.

    “New dates will be communicated in due course.

    “All aspirants should note the extension and be guided accordingly.”

  • Lawyer’s absence stalls hearing in Anyanwu’s defamation case against Ohakim

    Lawyer’s absence stalls hearing in Anyanwu’s defamation case against Ohakim

    The planned hearing in the N550 million defamation suit filed against a former Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, was stalled on Thursday owing to the absence of his lawyer, Ken Njemanze (SAN).

    Justice M.S. Idris of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Jabi had on June 17 scheduled the case for June 19 for a definite hearing when Njemanze failed to attend court on the grounds of Ill health.

    Senator Chris Anyanwu filed the suit marked FCT/HC/CV/1058/2025 against Ohakim over an interview he granted to The Nation Newspaper, which was published on January 12, 2025, in which she alleged that the former governor defamed her.

    The former senator described the comments by Ohakim as “false and damaging”, adding that she promptly issued a press statement to refute the claims and, through her solicitors, demanded a public retraction from Ohakim.

    Anyanwu, who is seeking N550 million in damages, also prayed the court to compel Ohakim to retract the statements and publish a full-page apology in The Sun and The Nation newspapers.

    Ohakim filed a defence in which he admitted to the alleged defamatory comments and justified them as fair comment.

    At the mention of the case on Thursday, Adekunle Kosoko announced the appearance of the claimant, but noted that no lawyer appeared for the ex-governor.

    Kosoko, who was displeased with the development, said he received a letter from Ohakim’s lawyer the previous day claiming he was still ill.

    Read Also: Why crisis persists in PDP, by Anyanwu

    He said it was disrespectful of the court for Ohakim’s lawyer to send just a letter when three lawyers represented him (Ohakim) on the previous date.

    Justice Idris however, said he would grant an adjournment in view of the fact that Njemanze’s request for adjournment was based on health grounds.

    Kosoko then applied that if by the next adjourned date Ohakim’s lawyers, particularly the lead lawyer (Njemanze), who applied for the adjournment on grounds of I’ll health, fail to attend court, the case will proceed even without the SAN.

    He said two of the claimants’ witnesses, who were in court on the last date and were equally in court on Thursday, even though they came from Lagos and Benue states.

    Ruling, Justice Idris adjourned till Oct 13, 2025, for a definite hearing.

    The judge said adjournment is principally at the instance of the first defendant’s lead lawyer (Njemanze).

    He ordered that a hearing notice should be served on all defendants – Ohakim and Vintage Press Ltd, publishers of The Nation newspapers.

  • Why crisis persists in PDP, by Anyanwu

    Why crisis persists in PDP, by Anyanwu

    The National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, spoke with reporters on the protracted crisis in the party and how it can be resolved

    What are the issues that led to the internal crisis in the PDP?

    We’ve had a lot of negative press for some time now, and it’s very disheartening, and I feel very concerned about it. So, for me, there’s only one group of people that can make or mar a situation or in the organisation, and that’s the press. But, so far, we’ve not been able to manage our party’s crisis. There is no doubt our party is in crisis. I’m a realist. All the crises are man-made. It’s all about ambition, and it’s very disheartening.

    I was elected in October 2021 as National Secretary of this party. According to the zoning, it was zoned to the South, and micro-zoned to Southeast. And just like every other state in the Southeast, it was zoned to Imo state.

    Every state in the Southeast has a representative in the National Working Committee (NWC). For instance, the National Deputy Treasurer comes from Enugu State; the National Auditor from Anambra State, and the Deputy National Legal Adviser, Abia State. So, you can see that it is wickedness for anybody who wants to take something from Ebonyi State and give it to Anambra State, when positions are evenly disputed.

    But assuming that I am no longer the National Secretary, for instance, whoever replaces me must come from Imo State. Besides, the National Secretary of a party is for the entire south. I was not elected by only the Southeast. I was elected at the convention by the entire nation. I represent the nation, but it’s very disheartening that the governor of Enugu State insisted that this must go to Enugu State, when Enugu already has somebody.

    By the way, is there any vacancy? There’s no vacancy. In 2023, I wrote to the party that I’m going to run election and I took leave. I wrote to INEC that while I’m on that leave, my deputy will act, and so he did.

    All these are happening because the then National Vice Chairman (Southeast), whose tenure was elapsing, wanted to remain a member of the National Committee. He went and conjured, manipulating the governor of Enugu State, to believe that he could become the party’s national secretary. I’m sure that the governor himself is not aware that the offices are shared according to the state.

    They jumped into it because he knows that the next National Vice Chairman of Southeast is supposed to come from Enugu State, and he knows that he will not get it back. So he wanted to return, because his tenure ended on March 3rd or so. That’s how this whole issue started.  He now connived with his friend, who is Governor Makinde of Oyo State, to pressurise Enugu to bring Ude-Okoye in, and they went to court.

    During the flag off of my campaign, the Enugu governor came and asked me to resign, and I told him, I will not and he was so angry. How can I resign on the day of my flag-off? He became angry and said that I was going to resign. So it’s about ego. So I should trade my position because of somebody’s ego.

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    I wonder how my office will endanger any of them because by December, my tenure will elapse, if, of course, I choose not to come back. So, why don’t you allow a sleeping dog to lie?

    Each time they talk about people destroying the party. All these PDP leaders who go on national television to demarket the party. Instead of saying issues that can build the party, you are saying things that will destroy and demarket the party and accuse the Minister of FCT, because he’s my friend.

    I will not take it if anybody ridicules me. I will never tolerate it for any reason. In every position everybody is having now, in the next two years, a few of them will leave and all of us will meet at the lounge of the airport.

    So, it’s a man-made thing up to the extent of sponsoring staff of a party to choose whom they want. That is very, very low. It’s a very low thing to do. But I will not give in to anybody trying to mess me up or mess my career up.

    It took me time to build my reputation. I’ve been a two-time local government chairman. Two times, a House of assembly member went to the Senate, and ran for governor twice and national secretary. None of them ever said they supported me in my last election; all the governors contributed money to give to other candidates of the party, but they refused to send even a dime to me. Rather, they demanded that I resign, and I ran my election without their support.

    So, for me, I’m on the side of the law. Now, let me give an example: Ali Odefa, they are parading up and down, is not a member of the party.  This is a High Court judgment. He was expelled by his ward, affirmed by his local government and then, of course, the state.

    They went to court and got a judgment. This is part of the judgement: ‘An order of perpetual injunction restraining the first defendant, Honourable Dr. Ali Odefa, from parading himself as a member of the PDP and or as its National Vice-Chairman, Southeast zone and from performing the roles or exercising the powers of the position.’

    It goes further to say, ‘This court ruling not only fortified the decisions of the party structures at his ward, Local government and state levels, but also permanently banned him from presiding at or even attending any PDP-related meetings. It is thus established that any meeting conveyed or attended by Honourable Ali Odefa remains invalid and infected by the virus of fundamental illegality.’ This is the judgment of the High Court.

    So, you will not go to the Southeast and say you are convening a meeting, who was there? I am the National Secretary; I am from the Southeast. What meeting will you convene when I am not there? What justification do you have? Assuming today, I am no longer the National Secretary, I am a member of the caucus, I am a member of the Board of Trustees, and I am a member of the NEC based on my position. In politics, the governor of a state is the only governor. He’s the only governor in the Southeast, but not the leader of the party, and the party is supreme.

    My question is, what will Governor Makinde say that I did to him? Have I stressed him for any reason? Have I called him funny names? What’s my sin? What’s my problem with him? Have I done anything against him? What have I done against him? I consider him my friend.

    Let me tell you, nobody can sign a document outside of me. They came to find it themselves after doubting what I told them. I sent a message because I know that the committee of Saraki is still meeting, and they were supposed to round up.

    I have now sent out a letter signed by me stating that the NEC is postponed pending when they finalise. So what they had there was not NEC, it was a stakeholders meeting, because NEC had not signed for it. If it is an NEC meeting, any decision taken there is illegal because PDP is a party, an organisation, ruled by law, and we should respect our constitution. And they make it look as if I’m one person causing problems with PDP.

    When people have a motive, a vision, what would my vision be? Whether you want to be president, whether you want to be governor, what would my position do? My position will end by December. The election is in 2027, and the primaries are scheduled for 2026. I will not be there. So, what would my position now be?

    The FCT Minister is my friend and my boss, and I can never deny him, no matter the intimidation. Nobody can make me deny my friend because, after position, there’s still life. Even you, as journalists, I don’t know where I’m going to meet you tomorrow. Your job may not be as a journalist. So I cannot under-rate any of you, because this journey is still very far and nobody knows how it will end.

    This is what I tell my NWC members. We came here as a united family. It would be nice for us to go as a united family.  So that we can still meet tomorrow and say we are brothers. We served an organisation. Let nobody try to fragment the NWC. We’ve been here for three years plus. We just have four months to go. Let us do it and go in peace. Assuming the convention is in August or October. Nobody has fixed anything yet.

    We just have a few months to go. Why would anybody want to break their head? So, for me, the position of the national secretary is very clear. I’m the secretary of the caucus. I’m the secretary of NEC. If NEC says I am so and you do anything to the contrary, you are shooting yourself in the leg.

    Some people will say Senator Anyanwu is pro-Wike. What is pro-Wike? Everybody knows his role in this party. Everybody knows when it mattered most; he was there for the party. He is working with the APC government, and they have forgotten the way he was appointed. He wrote a letter to his party in the state.

    The party at the state gave him a go-ahead. He wrote a letter to the then-governor, who also gave him the go-ahead. He wrote to NWC. And he is appointed. I would not stop him from holding that position.

    The Supreme Court has spoken. And what did the Supreme Court say? That the person who went to court is a meddlesome interloper; that is the judgment of the Supreme Court, and that the judgment of the high court is nullified. All my reliefs sought are meritorious and sustained. And what are my reliefs? I am the national secretary of the PDP.

    So I never resigned. And don’t forget that from November 23rd, after my election in 2023, to January 9th, when I got a judgment at the federal high court, till today, this is one year plus, I’ve been working. I’ve been doing all the congresses.

    If they say that I have resigned, that I’m not a national secretary, then every congress, in all the states, even the governorship candidates that I signed their documents will be a nullity.

    That means PDP has no structure at the ward, local government, and state levels. So, I think that our parties should be very careful. They should be very, very careful.

    You see, I respect our governors. I respect them because I know it’s not easy to be a governor. But that you’re a governor does not mean that you cannot come out and tell your colleagues the truth.  They know the truth. Why are they shying away from it? They know the truth.

    The chairman of the governor’s forum went to INEC and confirmed. They said, Oh, it’s not true. The National chairman went to INEC, they said it was not true. The legal adviser gave his legal opinion. He said it’s not true.

    Now, people who say it’s not true. They went to INEC, and INEC confirmed it to them. So, he now went to a stakeholder’s meeting. Instead of him saying, we are not going to say it openly. Maybe some time, I would demand an apology because I’ve gone through psychological trauma, unnecessary blackmail, Media blackmail, and Insults because I don’t talk, because I’m not the publicity secretary of the party.

    So, I cannot talk to the press corps all the time. That’s why most people think I don’t talk. Because I confine myself within my own office. As the National secretary, I know much about this party. I know a lot and as a very responsible man, I keep a lot to myself, but when I’m provoked, the things I will say will shock them.

    Did Ali Odefa Appeal the judgment?

    The judgment was delivered on the 26th of January 2025. (26:49) In suit number FFC/AI /227/2024. The judgment has not been appealed as we speak, up till now.

    Is the PDP part of the ongoing effort to form an opposition coalition?

    No, the PDP is not part of the coalition. It cannot merge with another party. The PDP is the first party and the one that helped to retrieve power from the military. There is no nook and cranny of this country that you will not find a PDP stalwart. So, it is other parties that should be subsumed into the PDP, rather than a merger.

    Today, I look at the people who call themselves Southeast leaders. The day before yesterday, the chairman of the BOT was in the coalition meeting. He went on air, on Arise television, to disparage me, but it’s only a threat.

    It started when I was working as chairman while he was a governor. He suspended me because I supported Ararume’s aspiration to be governor. So, that threat has been there. He said we were doing a coalition. He went to Daura to see Buhari.

    Then, on Sunday, they were all doing coalition. They’ve come to do stakeholders’ meeting because they want to remove the National Secretary before they leave for their party. Ben Obi was there in the coalition.

    We in the party said that we are not part of the coalition. So, who is deceiving whom? What is going on? Who are the people paving the way for the APC to continue? Who are they?

    According to the court judgment, any PDP activity that involves Ali Odefa becomes a nullity. How can you check his participation, keeping an eye on the Nigerian constitution that allows freedom of association?

    I will repeat the language for you. The court says that any meeting convened or attended by Odefa remains invalid and ineffective.

    If he wants to attend any party event, he has to go back to his ward to be re-admitted as a member of the party. That is just a true, simple truth.

    By the way, there is a court judgment too that has brought in a new national vice chairman, a replacement.  Whatever he is doing is illegal if we are to be serious and honest, and want to uphold constitutional responsibility.

    There is an internal mechanism for resolving issues. We have a resolution that believes in the rule of law. And if you don’t do that, then why will we accuse another party of violating the rule of law, when you cannot uphold your constitution?

    Are you prepared to make any sacrifices for the party can move forward if the NEC meeting insists you are no longer the National Secretary?

    This is very simple. I campaigned, I went to all the states campaigning for this position, and I was elected, and my position is for four years with the constitutional guarantees. And the next convention is in August or October. And we have just five more months to go.

    Why would you want to put a party into turmoil? Why would you sacrifice me and a man who has been rejected by his people and by the court, is attending a meeting? What kind of sacrifice is that? And you think I will stand and I will sit and watch? It’s not about making a sacrifice. It’s about doing the right thing. It’s only when you do the right thing that somebody can make a sacrifice.

    What would I do between now and the convention to injure the party at all? And why would I be irresponsible to injure a party that gave me a platform?

    Some of these people have left the party and come back. Some of them came to this party midway. But I have been with this party since 1999.

    I’ve never gone out and come back. I’ve remained. In my state, we’ve had a government. We are PDP. For eight years, Rochas was governor I was in PDP. I defeated his candidates in the state assembly, and went straight to the Senate. That’s how my popularity is. So, for me, I don’t see the reason why we should injure this party. And that’s why I want you to know, is there anything going on that they don’t want to tell us?

    I don’t know. I don’t know what they’re trying to do.

    Otherwise, I don’t see the reason. This is uncalled for. All these problems are uncalled for. That’s why I said it’s a man-made crisis.

  • Anyanwu counters Udeh-Okoye’s memo on PDP NEC meeting

    Anyanwu counters Udeh-Okoye’s memo on PDP NEC meeting

    The tussle between the two claimants to the position of National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) intensified yesterday with counter-notices by them at the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party.

    One of the claimants, Sunday Udeh-Okoye, had in a letter said the NEC meeting had been moved from March 15  to May 15, 2025.

    But Senator Samuel Anyanwu dismissed the letter, describing Udeh-Okoye as an  ‘agent of destruction.’

     The unsigned letter which had the designation of PDP National Secretary under Udeh-Okoye was made available to reporters in Abuja through the party’s  Publicity Directorate.

     Surprised by the letter,  Anyanwu sent a one-page memo to PDP governors, NEC and Board of Trustees(BoT)  members asking them to discard the notice by Ude-Okoye.

    The memo titled “Re: Notice Of 99th NEC Meeting’ was also made available to reporters.

    In it, Anyanwu emphasised  that “Udeh Okoye is not the national secretary of our dear party and was never in any National Working Committee (NWC) meeting where he was mandated to issue such notice.”

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    The memo partly reads:  “My attention has been drawn to a misleading letter on the above subject matter signed by Rt. Hon S. K. E, Udeh Okoye in the designation of PDP national secretary.

    “Our party leaders, NEC members, BOT, governors forum and the general public are hereby advised to disregard the purported letter as it emanates from a non-official and authoritative source. The said Udeh Okoye is not the national secretary of our dear party and was never in any NWC meeting where he was mandated to issue such a notice.

    “Udeh-Okoye should be aware that he is under a restraining order of the court of competent jurisdiction to stop parading himself as the national secretary of PDP  pending the determination of the appeal lying before the apex court of the nation.

    “It is obvious from the conduct of Udeh-Okoye that he is an agent set to destroy the party.

    ‘’He is therefore warned to refrain from further acts that tend to undermine the peace and stability of the party and again impugn the integrity of the judiciary.

    “Nothing coming from the said Udeh-Okoye is recognised by law; he is only putting the party to public ridicule.’’

    Southsouth, Southwest and Northcentral zonal congresses to hold   April 12

    The earlier postponed zonal congresses of the party in the Southsouth, Southwest and Northcentral will be held simultaneously on  April 12.

    PDP’s  National Publicity Secretary  Debo Ologunagba said in a statement the  NWC  approved the new date.

     Ologunagba  said: “The zonal congresses will hold simultaneously in Port Harcourt, Rivers State (SouthSouth  ); Ibadan, Oyo State (Southwest) and Jos, Plateau State (Northcentral) to elect the executive  officers and national ex-officio members for the respective zonal chapters in line with the constitution and guidelines of our great party.’

    He added that the NWC  charged ‘’ all aspirants, leaders, critical stakeholders, teeming members of our party in the respective zones, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the media’’ to note the date. 

     Also yesterday,  the Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP) described the appointment of  Southsouth Zonal Caretaker Committee members as a right for unity and stability of the party in the zone.

    The conference, in a statement by its Protem National Coordinator. Obinna Nwachukwu urged the Elder Emmanuel Ogidi-led caretaker committee ‘’not to be distracted but work with stakeholders in the Southsouth to further ensure the   stability and growth of the party.’’

  • PDP national secretary tussle: Anyanwu writes NEC, BoT, governors, says Udeh-Okoye has no right to sign document

    PDP national secretary tussle: Anyanwu writes NEC, BoT, governors, says Udeh-Okoye has no right to sign document

    The battle for the position of National Secretary in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a dramatic turn on Sunday night as Senator Samuel Anyanwu accused his rival, Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye, of being an “agent of destruction.”

    The latest dispute was triggered by a letter purportedly issued by Udeh-Okoye, claiming that the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) had rescheduled the party’s 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting from March 15, 2025, to May 15, 2025. 

    The letter, bearing Udeh-Okoye’s name but lacking his signature, was sent to reporters via the PDP Publicity Directorate.

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    Anyanwu, viewing the letter as an attempt to usurp his position, swiftly reacted with a strongly worded memo addressed to PDP NEC members, the Board of Trustees, PDP governors, and other party leaders.

    In the memo titled “Re: Notice Of 99th National Executive Committee Meeting,” Anyanwu dismissed Udeh-Okoye’s claim, insisting, “Udeh-Okoye is not the National Secretary of our dear party and was never in any NWC meeting where he was mandated to issue such notice.”

    The escalating tension underscores the deepening internal crisis within the PDP as the two factions continue to battle for control of the party’s leadership.

    “Our party leaders, NEC members, BOT, Governors Forum and general public are hereby advised to disregard the purported letter as it emanates from a non-official and authoritative source; the said Udeh Okoye |s not the National Secretary of our dear Party and was never in any NWC meeting where he was mandated to issue such notice. 

    “Udeh Okoye should be aware that he is under a restraining order of the court of competent jurisdiction to stop parading himself as the National Secretary of POP pending the determination of the appeal lying before the apex court of the nation; the issuance of an official letter of the PDP in the title of the National Secretary amounts to total disobedience to the rule of law and an act contemptuous of the order of the judiciary 

    “It is obvious from the conduct of Udeh-Okoye that he is an agent set to destroy the Party; he is therefore warned to refrain from further act that tend to undermine the peace and stability of the party and again impugn the integrity of the judiciary. 

    “NOTHING COMING FROM the said Udeh-Okoye is recognized by law; he is only putting the party to public ridicule. 

    “On the issue of the NEC meeting, the rescheduled date will be communicated accordingly and appropriately,” Senator Samuel Anyanwu stated while affirming that he remains the only validly-elected PDP National Secretary as he was elected at a national convention of the party and recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission and the law.

  • Court restrains INEC, PDP acting chair from taking further adverse steps against Anyanwu 

    Court restrains INEC, PDP acting chair from taking further adverse steps against Anyanwu 

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) and the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagun from taking any further steps that could adversely affect the interests of the party’s embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order on Monday at the resumed hearing in a suit filed by Anyanwu, in which he is alleging among others, that there were plots to sideline him in the running of the party even when he is the process of challenging a judgment of the Court of Appeal in Enugu which affected the office of the PDP National Secretary.

    At the last hearing on February 19, Justice Ekwo refused to issue an ex-parte order sought by Anyanwu to stop INEC from acting on any document from the PDP without his signature as the National Secretary.

    The judge held that it would be appropriate for the respondents – INEC and Damagun –  to be put on notice for them to come and show cause why the reliefs sought should not be granted.

    He then ordered Anyanwu to serve the court documents on INEC and Damagun for them to show cause why the reliefs sought in the motion ex-parte should not be granted.

    The judge adjourned till February 24 for the respondents to show cause.

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    The reliefs, as contained in the motion, filed along with the substantive suit, marked:marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/254/2025 are:

    *An order of interim injunction, restraining INEC, its servants or officers, from accepting, acting on or giving effect to any correspondence, letter, document, mail, notice, form and or written submission purported to emanate from the PDP not signed by him pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction filed simultaneously with this motion ex-parte. 

    *An order of interim injunction restraining the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagun or his agents from forwarding, sending or dispatching to INEC any correspondence, letter, document, mail, notice, form and or written submission purported to emanate from the PDP, signed by the acting Chairman and not counter signed by him, pending the hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction filed simultaneously with this motion ex-parte.

    At the mention of the case on Monday, INEC represented by a lawyer, Ahmed Mohammed, but Damagun was not represented.

    Mohammed told the court that his client filed a counter- affidavit to challenge the competence of the suit.

    He confirmed being served with all court documents relating to the case, but said INEC did not file any an affidavit to show cause as ordered by the court.

    Justice Ekwo then noted that rather than respond to Anyanwu’s application for interim orders, INEC chose to delve into the substantive case by filing a counter-affidavit.

    The judge warned INEC not to take any action that would adversely affect the suit pending before the court.

    He said: “INEC has not given any tangible reason to show cause, but rather filed a process that goes to the substance of the matter.

    “Therefore, it is the order of this court that INEC should not do anything contrary to the prayers of the applicant until further order of this court.

    “The first and second defendants (INEC and Damagun) are ordered not to do anything or take action that will contravene the prayers of the applicant.

    “I hereby make an order for accelerated hearing of this matter,” Justice Ekwo said.

    At that point lawyers to the PDP and Udeh-Okoye Enemchukwu – Paul Erokoro (SAN) and Paul Ogbole (SAN) told the court that their clients have applied to be joined as parties in the suit.

    Lawyer to Anyanwu, Ken Njemanze (SAN) confirmed being served with the joinder applications, but noted that the time for him to respond to them had not elapsed.

    Justice Ekwo then adjourned till February 28 to the hear all the pending applications.

  • Anyanwu loses bid to stop INEC from dealing with PDP without him

    Anyanwu loses bid to stop INEC from dealing with PDP without him

    • Court declines embattled national secretary’s request

    A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday declined to grant an application filed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu seeking to stop his planned removal as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    in a ruling on Anyanwu’s motion ex parte moved by his lawyer, Ken Njemanze (SAN), Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered the embattled PDP national scribe to put the defendants on notice to show cause in the next adjourned date why his prayers should not be granted.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Anyanwu, in the fresh suit, named the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the party’s acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagun, as first and second defendants.

    In the motion ex parte, dated and filed on February 13 by Njemanze, Anyanwu sought two prayers:

    ·An order of interim injunction restraining INEC from accepting, acting on or giving effect to any correspondence, letter, document, mail, notice, form and or written submission purported to emanate from the PDP not signed by him, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

    ·An order of interim injunction restraining Damagun from dispatching to INEC any correspondence purportedly emanating from PDP signed by the acting chair and not counter-signed by him, pending the hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction filed simultaneously with this motion ex parte.

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    In the affidavit in support of the motion, Anyanwu insisted that he remained the party’s national secretary.

    He said he was duly elected as the national secretary at the PDP’s national convention on October 30 and October 31, 2021 in Abuja.

    “Since the aforesaid election, I have been performing my duties and functions as stipulated by the constitution of the PDP, extant laws and regulations,” he said.

    Anyanwu averred that as PDP’s national secretary, he and Damagun (second defendant) were signatories to all correspondence, letters, mails, documents, notices, forms, and or written submissions from the party.

    “All correspondence, letters, mails, documents, notices, forms and or written submissions from the PDP to the 1st defendant (INEC) cannot be acted on, implemented or given effect to by the first defendant without my signature,” he said.

    Anyanwu listed the correspondence, notices, written submissions, among others, that must be signed by him to include notices of any convention, congress, conference or meetings of the party and list of candidates the party proposes to sponsor at elections.

    He said on December 22, 2023, the Enugu State High Court delivered judgment in a suit between Aniagu Emmanuel vs. PDP & Ors, which touched on the position of the national secretary of the party.

    Dissatisfied with the said judgment, Anyanwu said he and the PDP filed separate and distinct appeals at the Court of Appeal.

    He said though the Appeal Court dismissed the appeals, he and the party appealed against the decision at the Supreme Court.

    “Notices of Appeal filed by the plaintiff and the Peoples Democratic Party are annexed and marked Exhibits ‘E’ and ‘F’ respectively,” he said.

    Anyanwu said he timeously compiled and transmitted the record of appeal, and the appeal had been entered in the Supreme Court as appeal between Senator Samuel N. Anyanwu vs. Aniagu Emmanuel & Ors.

    The embattled national secretary averred that the application for stay of execution and injunction pending appeal filed by the PDP came up for hearing on January 13, 2025 before the Appeal Court.

    He said the appellate court made a positive and unequivocal interim order that the parties should maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the motion for stay of execution and injunction pending appeal.

    Anyanwu insisted that he remained the national secretary of the PDP.

    According to him, his term of office has not expired.

    “There are subterranean moves or attempts by the defendants to subvert my authority as National Secretary of the said political party.

    “Unless restrained, the defendants would subvert my authority,” he told the court.

    Anyanwu urged the court to grant his prayers in the interest of justice.

  • Anyanwu snubs PDP NWC, resumes at National Secretariat

    Anyanwu snubs PDP NWC, resumes at National Secretariat

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu yesterday declared that the  decision of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Governors’ Forum and a section of the National Working Committee (NWC) to recognise the National Youth Leader, Sunday Udeh-Okoye, as secretary was a nullity.

    He resumed at the party secretariat in Abuja, challenging Ude-Okoye to show where his own office is located.

    In a video call with Lere Olayinka, spokesman of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, Anyanwu said: “As you can see, I’m in my office. These are my people and we are working.

     “You can see them jumping over the fence, and that was how I stayed in my office to catch them through the CCTV.”

    The video was posted by Olayinka on his Whatsapp status.

    The conflict between Anyanwu and Udey-Okoye has split the Southeast and Southsouth Zonal chapters of the main opposition party.

    A section of Southeast caucus had endorsed Ude-Okoye as secretary, claiming that Anyanwu had resigned before contesting for governor in Imo State.

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    On December 20, last year, an Appeal Court ruled in favour of Ude-Okoye as secretary.

    But, Anyanwu, who had obtained a stay of execution, insisted that only the Supreme Court can resolve the conflict.

    On January 28, a fight broke out between Anyanwu’s supporters and Ude-Okoye at the PDP National Secretariat during the Board of Trustees ?

    (BoT) meeting.

    Conflict splits Southsouth chapter

    The Southsouth is split over the Anyanwu/Udeh-Okoye imbroglio.

    The National Vice-Chairman (Southsouth), Chief Dan Obirh,  and Zonal Secretary,  Chief Felix Omemu, clashed  over the zonal meeting called by Orbih,  describing it illegal.

    Omemu said in a statement that the meeting was against the PDP Constitution, which provides that the Zonal Executive Council meeting could only be held with the approval of the Zonal Working Committee.

    He said the Zonal Working Committee never deliberated and agreed to convene a meeting of the Zonal Executive Council.

    He said: “In line with Section 26, (2c) of our party’s Constitution as amended in 2017, there was no such a time that the Zonal Working Committee meeting, being a precursor to the Zonal Executive Committee, agreed on any reports to be discussed at the Saturday’s scheduled meeting.

    ‘’As the Zonal Secretary of the party, I am therefore, not aware of such a meeting that purportedly resolved that ZWC could go ahead to convene the highest meeting of the party leaders in the zone and so, I wish to distance myself from such an illegal ZEC meeting and gathering being called by Chief Dan Orbih”.

    Omemu  urged the zonal leaders to stay away from the meeting, alleging that it was convened to further harm the interest of the party.

    He added: “I also wish to call on my colleagues in the zone to boycott Saturday’s meeting whose agenda remains suspicious and may not likely serve the general interest of the party as it is clear that the majority of the leaders of the party in the zone were not duly consulted before calling for the meeting.

  • I’m in my office but I don’t know where their National Secretary is, Anyanwu taunts NWC faction

    I’m in my office but I don’t know where their National Secretary is, Anyanwu taunts NWC faction

    In defiance of a purported decision by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop recognising him as the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu resumed duties at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

    Less than 24 hours earlier, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, declared the party’s National Working Committee(NWC) headed by PDP’s acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar ilyas Damagum had begun arrangements with the Independent National Electoral Electoral Commission(INEC) and other bodies towards formal recognition of Hon Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of PDP.

    Just a he did and surprised many on shortly after the PDP Governors’ Forum had issued a communique stating it recognised Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary after an Appeal Court ruling, Anyanwu resumed at the office of the PDP National Secretary at Wadata Plaza in Abuja on Thursday.

    In a video recording shared by Mr. Lere Olayinka, who is spokesman to FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike on X, formerly known as Twitter on Thursday, Anyanwu turned his camera round to show the office and affirm he is in control.

    He said: “You can see that I am in my office. I’m here working; I don’t know where their own National Secretary is. That’s how I stay in my office to catch them on my CCTV, jumping over the fence.”

    The contest for the position of National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is one of the most potent manifestations of on-going proxy wars that has created hardened factions within the PDP and forestalled possibilities of an early preparation towards 2027 presidential election.

    Issues surrounding the position took a dramatic turn after Anyanwu returned to resume duties as National secretary after contesting in the Imo State governorship election.

    In his absence, a group within the PDP’s South-East caucus backed by some forces in Abuja threw its weight behind the party’s former National Youth Leader, Hon Sunday Udeh-Okoye, a move that Anyanwu and other forces within the party firmly resisted.

    Legal battles ensued, culminating in a December 20, 2024, ruling by the Court of Appeal, which affirmed Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of the party.

    But Anyanwu, who asserted that the ruling was secured with doctored party documents, secured a Stay of Execution on the Appeal Court’s ruling.

    Amidst the rising tensions that followed, a violent clash between supporters of the two claimants was narrowly averted during the PDP Board of Trustees last meeting at Wadata Plaza on January 28 when truckloads of armed soldiers, policemen and Department of State Security operatives swooped in and formed a perimeter around the national secretariat.

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    Following the development, the PDP BoT, asserting fears of insecurity, relocated its subsequent meeting to Transcorp-Hilton hotel in Abuja while the PDP Disciplinary Committee headed by High Chief Tom Ikimi also relocated to Legacy House in Maitama area of Abuja – a building secured by late Minister Chief Tony Anennih as campaign headquarters for the re-election of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007.

    The Bot, PDP Governors’ Forum and a faction of the PDP National Working Committee(NWC) including the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba and National Legal adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade have made clear their determination to displace Anyanwu and make Udeh-Okoye the party’s National Secretary by all available legal means.