A new letter has confirmed that Senator Samuel Anyanwu is still the official National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The letter, dated May 7, 2025, was sent to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It was signed by the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and Senator Anyanwu himself, who signed as the National Secretary. The letter also confirmed Jude Ezenwafor as the party’s governorship candidate for the November 8, 2025, election in Anambra State.
“We write to inform the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that EZENWAFOR JUDE C. is the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Gubernatorial Candidate for the November 08, 2025, Anambra State Gubernatorial Election, having emerged winner of the Party’s Gubernatorial Primary in ANAMBRA STATE monitored by the Commission,” the letter stated.
It continued, “Please be also informed that HON. OKEKE FRANCIS CHUKWUDI is Ezenwafor Jude’s Running Mate. We hereby forward the Credentials/ Particulars: Forms EC-9, EC-9B and EC-13B, of both the candidate and running mate.”
INEC confirmed it received the document on May 12, 2025.
However, Anyanwu’s name appearing in official party communication goes against the earlier position of the PDP Governors’ Forum and the National Working Committee (NWC), who had declared him unfit and named Deputy National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo as Acting National Secretary.
This situation comes after the Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that had supported Anyanwu’s removal. The Supreme Court said the issue was internal and not something the courts should decide.
Some of Anyanwu’s supporters, especially those backing him in the 2023 Imo State governorship election, saw the court’s decision as a victory. But PDP leaders said it only confirmed that the party has the right to decide who holds leadership positions.
Back in 2023, the PDP’s NWC had told the South East zone to replace Anyanwu after he became the party’s governorship candidate in Imo State. The zone nominated Sunday Ude-Okoye, who was approved by the NWC, the party’s Board of Trustees, and the PDP Governors’ Forum.
Despite that, both Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye continued to claim to be the rightful National Secretary.
PDP spokesperson Debo Ologunagba said:
“The NWC at its 576th meeting held on 11 October 2023 directed the South East Zonal Executive Committee to nominate a replacement for Senator Samuel Anyanwu upon his nomination as the governorship candidate of the PDP to contest the November 2023 governorship election in Imo State.”
Later, at a meeting in April 2025 in Ibadan, the PDP Governors’ Forum said neither Anyanwu nor Ude-Okoye should act as National Secretary.
“To avert a rape of our constitutional democracy, the Forum resolved to recommend that the Deputy National Secretary acts as National Secretary, pending the nomination and ratification of a substantive Secretary from the South East Zone and NEC respectively at its next meeting,” the communiqué read.
Following this, Setonji Koshoedo was appointed as Acting National Secretary.
