The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Samuel Anyanwu, has declared himself the rightful occupant of the position, asserting that no force within the party can remove him. Speaking at the ongoing Southeast PDP Zonal stakeholders’ meeting, Anyanwu challenged claims threatening his role, stating, “I am the only National Secretary of the PDP, and no force, not even a Julius Berger crane, can remove me from this position.”
In a bold move, Anyanwu vowed to resign immediately if any PDP governor, including Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, publicly accuses him of accepting any form of inducement. “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,” he stated.
The PDP has been embroiled in a leadership crisis over the National Secretary position, pitting Anyanwu against Sunday Ude-Okoye, the candidate nominated by the Southeast Caucus. The dispute began when Anyanwu temporarily stepped away to contest the governorship election in Imo State, which he lost, prompting the caucus to propose Ude-Okoye as his replacement.
Senate Minority Whip Osita Ngwu, also speaking at the meeting, urged the PDP leadership to respect the Southeast Caucus’s nomination of Ude-Okoye. “Our prayer and appeal is that this party should carefully look into our request in line with what has been done in the past. Precedents have been set, so we are asking you to look at the zone,” Ngwu said. He emphasized that the caucus’s request should not be overlooked, adding, “We are not here to give orders, but to make an appeal so that the decision that will be taken will be for the growth of the Party.”
The ongoing tussle highlights deep divisions within the PDP, with the Southeast Caucus pushing for its candidate while Anyanwu remains resolute in his claim to the National Secretary position.
About The Author
