PDP Youths Stand Firm: Anyanwu’s National Secretary Seat Faces Fierce Battle
The ongoing power struggle for the position of National Secretary within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has intensified, with several youth factions within the party backing Senator Samuel Anyanwu against former Youth Leader Sunday Ude-Okoye.
The dispute emerged after the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) threw its support behind Ude-Okoye during a recent meeting in Abuja. However, Anyanwu strongly opposed the move, arguing that the decision lacked credibility. He pointed out that the majority of BoT members who endorsed Ude-Okoye had already seen their tenure expire months ago.
“I was not invited to the meeting, nor was the National Chairman. This raises concerns. Moreover, 80 percent of the BoT members at that meeting had expired mandates as of October last year,” Anyanwu stated. He added that, despite the court case, the BoT’s advice could not be taken as final, emphasizing that it was merely “advice.”
The controversy has exacerbated existing tensions within the PDP, with youth groups, including the PDP Youth Frontiers Network, stepping forward to defend Anyanwu’s legitimacy. They assert that Anyanwu is the rightful National Secretary, urging party officials to reject any attempt to replace him with Ude-Okoye.
In a press briefing held in Abuja, Henry Owolabi, the group’s national coordinator, lashed out at both the PDP Governors’ Forum and the BoT for overstepping their authority. According to Owolabi, their push for Ude-Okoye’s installation was in direct contradiction to the party’s constitution and undermined Anyanwu’s election at the last convention.
Owolabi further noted that Anyanwu had already appealed the court’s judgment to the Supreme Court, and as such, the current status quo must remain until the case is resolved. He warned that the youth groups would not tolerate any moves to impose Ude-Okoye as National Secretary without due process, pledging to mobilize their supporters to take action if necessary.
“We cannot allow this blatant disregard for party democracy. Any attempt to install Ude-Okoye through judicial overreach or without a Congress decision is a direct violation of PDP’s principles,” Owolabi declared. The group also made it clear that they would resort to civil action and even block judicial premises if the warning was ignored.
In their closing remarks, the youth leaders emphasized the need for unity within the party, calling for a renewed focus on rebuilding the PDP as a strong, unified force for good governance. They stressed that internal divisions, fueled by self-interest and personal ambitions, had weakened the party and created opportunities for the opposition to gain ground.
As the legal battle continues, the future of the PDP’s National Secretary position remains uncertain, with the party’s youth groups standing resolute in their support for Senator Anyanwu’s leadership.
