The embattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has asserted that he is the undisputed occupant of the position and that no force within the party, including the construction giant Julius Berger, can remove him. He made this declaration at the ongoing Southeast PDP Zonal stakeholders’ meeting.
Anyanwu challenged Governor Peter Mbah and other PDP governors to publicly accuse him of accepting any form of gratification from them, vowing to resign immediately if proven otherwise. He stated, “I am the only National Secretary of the PDP, and no force, not even a Julius Berger crane, can remove me from this position. I dare Governor Peter Mbah and every PDP Governor to publicly say if I have taken a bottle of water from them. If anyone does, I will resign immediately.”
The crisis over the rightful occupant of the National Secretary position has deepened following Anyanwu’s unsuccessful bid for the Imo State governorship. After he stepped down to contest the election, the Southeast Caucus nominated Sunday Ude-Okoye as their candidate for the position. However, Anyanwu has rejected this move, maintaining his claim to the office.
At the meeting, Senate Minority Whip Osita Ngwu appealed to the party leadership to respect the Southeast Caucus’s nomination of Ude-Okoye, emphasizing that the zone’s request should not be ignored. He said, “Our prayer and appeal is that this party should carefully look into our request in line with what has been done in the past… The request of this zone should not be jettisoned.”
Former Imo State governor Achike Udenwa also weighed in, insisting that the support behind Anyanwu does not outweigh the Southeast Caucus’s collective decision.
The ongoing dispute has caused significant tension within the PDP, with some South-East leaders threatening mass defections if the party fails to honor the zone’s nomination. The Supreme Court has dismissed related legal challenges, stating that internal party matters should not be adjudicated by courts, further complicating the resolution.
As the crisis persists, calls for unity and adherence to party conventions grow louder, with stakeholders urging all parties to prioritize the growth and stability of the PDP.