PDP crisis: In new twist, Anyanwu blasts governors, party leaders

The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has accused certain governors and other party leaders of orchestrating a personal vendetta to remove him from office, describing the ongoing crisis within the party as “man-made, ego-driven, and politically wicked.”

Speaking during an interactive session with the PDP Press Corps in Abuja on Wednesday, Senator Anyanwu delivered a passionate defence of his position, rebuking governors and stakeholders whom he claims are pushing for his removal based on “selfish interests” and “hidden agendas.”

“I was elected in 2021 by the entire nation at the convention, not just the Southeast,” Anyanwu stated.

“My tenure runs until December, and there is no vacancy in the office of the National Secretary. It is disheartening that some individuals are attempting to use illegality to replace me prematurely.”

The press briefing comes amid escalating tensions in the party over leadership disputes, particularly in the Southeast zone, and follows the continued closure of the party’s national secretariat by the FCT Administration—widely seen by insiders as an extension of the crisis.

Senator Anyanwu specifically accused the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, of attempting to usurp the National Secretary position by nominating a replacement from Enugu, despite the position being zoned to Imo State.

“Every state in the Southeast already has representation in the National Working Committee,” he explained.

“It is wickedness for anyone to attempt to take a position from Imo and hand it to a state that already has someone in leadership.”

According to him, the Governor of Enugu, allegedly in collusion with former Southeast Zonal Vice Chairman, Hon. Ali Odefa, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has been manoeuvring behind the scenes to replace him with Mr Sunday Ude-Okoye—a move Anyanwu insists violates party rules and legal decisions.

Citing a High Court judgment delivered on 26 January 2025, Anyanwu asserted that Hon. Ali Odefa had been lawfully expelled from the PDP and was permanently barred from presenting himself as a party official.

“Any meeting convened or attended by Odefa remains invalid and infected by fundamental illegality,” he said, reading from the court ruling.

“So you cannot go to the Southeast and hold a meeting without the National Secretary present. That meeting is null and void.”

He added that the judgment has not been appealed and, therefore, remains binding.

In a pointed remark, Anyanwu also defended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, saying he would never deny their friendship “because after office, life continues.”

He dismissed criticisms labelling him as “pro-Wike,” stating, “Everybody knows what Wike did for this party. When it mattered most, he was there.”

He also accused certain party figures of aligning with a shadowy coalition to weaken the PDP from within.

“Some of these so-called Southeast leaders are part of a coalition secretly working with the APC. They have already held meetings with former President Buhari. So who is deceiving who?” he queried.

Anyanwu claimed he has endured months of “media blackmail, psychological trauma, and betrayal,” particularly during and after his unsuccessful bid for the Imo State governorship in 2023.

“All the PDP governors contributed money to support other candidates, but not one naira was sent to me,” he lamented.

“Yet they demanded that I resign. I ran that election without their support.”

He stressed that his position cannot be removed without due process, warning that any decision made outside the party constitution and established legal framework would render party actions null and void.

“If I am not the National Secretary, then every congress I signed off across Nigeria, including candidate nominations, becomes invalid. PDP must tread carefully,” he cautioned.

Despite the intensity of his remarks, Anyanwu appealed for unity within the National Working Committee (NWC), calling on members to conclude their tenure peacefully.

“We have been here for over three years. Just four months to go. Let us end this journey in peace,” he said. “Let nobody fragment this NWC. Power is transient.”

Responding to questions on whether the PDP is part of a proposed opposition coalition or merger, Anyanwu firmly denied the reports.

“PDP is not part of any coalition. We are the original party that retrieved power from the military. Others can collapse into us, not the other way around.”

As the PDP grapples with internal strife, expiring tenures, and looming national elections, Senator Anyanwu’s impassioned address has exposed deep fractures within the party—fractures that, if unresolved, could further weaken its electoral viability.

“There is no reason for this crisis,” he concluded.

“This is all about ego, ambition, and manipulation. But I will not allow anyone to destroy what I have worked for or what this party represents.”

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