Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye, both competing for the position of National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had a confrontation during the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting on Wednesday.
The meeting, held at the PDP National Headquarters, took place amid ongoing crises within the party. Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, and Anyanwu were already seated when Ude-Okoye arrived.
At the time, BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara was delivering a speech. Ude-Okoye waited for him to finish before moving around to greet the officials at the high table, but he deliberately skipped Anyanwu.
Shortly after, Ude-Okoye was forced out of the meeting by suspected thugs, leading to a heated exchange. Around this time, journalists were asked to leave for a closed-door session.
Outside, Ude-Okoye was seen shouting and urging his supporters to resist his ejection. He later moved to the gate, complaining that Anyanwu’s supporters were allowed inside the Secretariat while his own were denied entry.
As of the time of reporting, Ude-Okoye remained outside while the meeting continued.
The battle for the National Secretary position has been a major source of conflict within the PDP. Anyanwu initially left the position to contest the Imo governorship election, which he lost. In his absence, the South East Caucus of the party endorsed Ude-Okoye as his replacement.
After losing the governorship race, Anyanwu attempted to reclaim his seat, escalating tensions in the party. On December 20, 2024, an Appeal Court in Enugu upheld an earlier High Court ruling that removed Anyanwu as PDP National Secretary and confirmed Ude-Okoye as the rightful holder of the position.
However, Anyanwu has filed for a Stay of Execution and Appeal, with Dr. Musa (SAN) appointed as the party’s legal counsel by Damagum—another issue fueling the ongoing dispute.
Details to follow…
