The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is embroiled in a leadership tussle, with embattled National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu asserting his continued hold on the position despite a court ruling in favor of rival Sunday Ude-Okoye.
Speaking on a current affairs program, Nigeria Right Now, Anyanwu maintained his legitimacy, citing legal actions he has taken to uphold his claim.
“As we speak today, I’m still the national secretary of PDP,” he declared, revealing that he filed both an appeal and a stay of execution at the Supreme Court on the same day the Court of Appeal delivered its verdict in favor of Ude-Okoye.
The crisis stems from conflicting court judgments. While the Enugu State High Court and the Court of Appeal have ruled that Anyanwu should have resigned before vying for the party’s governorship ticket in 2023, a Federal High Court in Abuja affirmed his position, emphasizing that his term, which began after an election at the PDP convention, remains valid until December 9, 2025.
“The federal high court judgment affirmed my position, and as long as I was elected by convention, my position is sacrosanct,” Anyanwu said, rejecting the appeal court’s ruling.
The ongoing leadership struggle adds to the PDP’s internal woes, with party members and stakeholders calling for swift resolution to prevent further damage to the party’s cohesion ahead of critical political engagements.
