PDP in Turmoil: Rival Factional Secretaries Set to Clash Over Court Ruling

The ongoing crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is poised to intensify as two factional secretaries—Sunday Ude-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu—prepare to resume office on Monday, despite a recent court ruling.

In separate interviews with The media on Sunday, both Ude-Okoye and Anyanwu confirmed they would return to their duties at the PDP National Headquarters in Abuja today, setting the stage for a potential clash. The Court of Appeal recently affirmed Ude-Okoye as the legitimate national secretary of the party, following a legal dispute that has further divided PDP leadership. However, Anyanwu, who was previously the national secretary, has rejected the judgment, asserting that he remains the rightful secretary.

This legal conflict has polarized the party, with top party officials and several governors divided between supporting either Ude-Okoye or Anyanwu. The party, already struggling after the 2023 elections, has been plagued by internal discord, with some blaming the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, for the unrest.

The crisis began when the South-East PDP leadership nominated Ude-Okoye to replace Anyanwu after he was selected as the Imo State governorship candidate. The South-East argued that Anyanwu’s candidacy disqualified him from continuing as national secretary. This led to a series of legal challenges, culminating in the December 2024 Court of Appeal ruling that confirmed Ude-Okoye as the new national secretary.

Despite the court’s decision, Anyanwu refused to vacate the position, resulting in a standoff. On December 31, 2024, Ude-Okoye arrived at the PDP headquarters to assume office, but Anyanwu ordered the closure of the secretariat, causing a near-violent confrontation between the factions. During the tense standoff, a party official loyal to Anyanwu allegedly assaulted a journalist from The SUN.

Ude-Okoye, standing by the court’s verdict, expressed confidence that he was the rightful national secretary, stating that no division within the National Working Committee (NWC) would deter him from fulfilling his duties. He dismissed any possibility of violence, calling on party members to focus on unity and peace.

Meanwhile, Anyanwu insisted that the court ruling was not final due to his filing of a stay of execution. He remained firm in his belief that he was still the party’s national secretary and that he would resume his duties today.

The PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Adolphus Wabara, weighed in on the dispute, emphasizing the need to respect the court’s judgment to avoid further chaos. He called for party members to adhere to the legal decision while awaiting any potential Supreme Court ruling. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, also reiterated that Ude-Okoye was the party’s legitimate secretary, confirming that the party would comply with the court’s decision unless a contrary ruling was issued.

Other party leaders, including Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary Diran Odeyemi, urged both factions to pursue peace and avoid escalating the crisis, stressing that the party’s unity was paramount for its future success.

The unfolding leadership struggle within the PDP has once again placed the party’s internal stability under scrutiny, with members calling for an end to the infighting and a focus on strengthening the party for the challenges ahead.