A heated confrontation broke out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat on Wednesday as Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye, both contesting for the position of National Secretary, clashed during the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting.
The opposition party, already facing multiple internal crises, convened the BoT meeting at its National Headquarters with Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, and Anyanwu in attendance. However, tensions escalated with the arrival of Ude-Okoye.
As BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, was delivering his address, Ude-Okoye waited for him to finish before greeting those seated at the high table—deliberately skipping Anyanwu. Moments later, chaos erupted as suspected thugs forcefully removed Ude-Okoye from the meeting, sparking an altercation. Around this time, journalists were asked to vacate the hall for a closed-door session.
Outside, Ude-Okoye protested vehemently, accusing the party of injustice. He lamented that while Anyanwu’s supporters were granted entry into the secretariat, his own loyalists were denied access. As of the time of filing this report, Ude-Okoye remained outside while the meeting continued inside.
The battle for the National Secretary position has deepened the PDP’s internal rift. The controversy began when Anyanwu vacated the seat to contest the Imo governorship election, which he lost. In his absence, the PDP South East Caucus endorsed Ude-Okoye as his replacement.
Following Anyanwu’s defeat in Imo, his attempt to reclaim the secretaryship fueled further discord. On December 20, 2024, the Court of Appeal in Enugu upheld an earlier High Court ruling that removed Anyanwu and affirmed Ude-Okoye as the rightful PDP National Secretary.
However, Anyanwu has since filed for a Stay of Execution and an appeal, with Dr. Musa (SAN) appointed by Damagum as the party’s legal counsel—a move that has intensified the standoff within the PDP.
