Before Wednesday’s meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, BoT, there was an ominous dark cloud over the Wadata Plaza.
A day earlier, some members of the party, who called themselves South-East caucus members, had gathered, during which they passed a confidence vote in the embattled National Secretary of the Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
The meeting was undoubtedly not just a counter to an earlier meeting of the South-East PDP held at the Enugu Government House over the weekend, but also a prelude to what was to come during the BoT meeting.
DAILY POST recalls that at the Enugu meeting, attended by the leader of the party in the zone, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, the zone restated its support for Hon. S.K.E Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of the party.
Anyanwu has been fighting a battle of his political life after he was replaced by the South-East PDP when he left the position to contest the Imo State governorship election.
Ude-Okoye, armed with a favourable Appeal Court judgement, has been laying claims to the position. But Anyawnu says he has appealed the judgement and filed for a stay of execution as well.
The party in the zone has also continued to work with Chief Ali Odefa whose suspension by his ward was affirmed by the Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The contest for both positions has seen the members of the PDP in the South-East polarized. While some of them are loyal to the ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar camp, others are in the good books of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The meeting held in Enugu was then meant to re-affirm the stand of the zone ahead of yesterday, Wednesday’s BoT meeting. A communique after the meeting was read by Odefa.
The meeting was also attended by former President of the Senate and BoT chairman of the party, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Senate Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu and other members of the National Assembly, former governors, former ministers, among others.
According to the communique: “The party also deliberated on internal crisis bedeviling the party at the national level and the attempts to encroach on the jurisdictions of the party in the South-East.
“The meeting deliberated on the unfortunate, but contrived controversies surrounding the Office of the National Secretary of the PDP zoned to the South East region.
“In line with the party’s principle of inclusivity, the ZEC meeting equally discussed the zoning of national and zonal offices of the party in the South East region.
“Consequently, the South East Zonal Executive of the PDP hereby resolves as follows:
“That South East PDP is one, big, and united family. We are capable of handling any issues arising in-house;
“That South East PDP frowns at any attempt to fan embers of disaffection or precipitate crisis in the party in the region;
“That the party commends the Court of Appeal judgement upholding Hon. S.K.E Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of the party in line with the constitution of our party and the position of the South East ZEC of our party.
“We also remain consistent and united in this position that Hon. Udeh-Okoye remains the National Secretary of our party. We continue to trust the judiciary to continuously do justice on the matter;
“Finally, that the ZEC meeting hereby adopts the zoning of national and zonal offices of the party.”
But a few days later, Anyanwu and his group also gathered at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja under the auspices of the South-East PDP caucus. He received a total endorsement during the meeting boycotted by Governor Mbah and other leaders of the party from the zone, including the BoT chairman, Wabara.
The meeting, presided over by Anyanwu and Okechukwu Osuoha, the Deputy National Legal Adviser, had two major take-aways: ratification of Ali Odefa’s removal as the PDP National Vice Chairman, South East, his replacement by Chidebere Ugwu and a vote of confidence in Anyanwu.
After the confidence vote, Anyanwu asserted that: “I was elected through a national convention, and it is only through a convention that I can be removed.”
Then came fracas at the BoT meeting
All was let loose on Wednesday as the party commenced its BoT meeting ahead of the February National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting.
Prior to the meeting, 11 members of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, were said to have clearly abandoned Umar Damagum, the acting national chairman and the embattled National Secretary, Anyanwu.
They included: the Deputy National Chairman, South, Taofeek Arapaja; National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, National Treasurer, Yayari Ahmed; National Deputy Secretary, Setonji Ikoshoedo; National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyengikuro and the National Women Leader, Amina Bryhm.
Others are the National Auditor, Obi Okechukwu, National Vice Chairman South East, Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman North-East, Emmanuel Bovoa, and the National Vice Chairman North-West, Hayatu Gwarzo.
The NEC, DAILY POST recalls, has faced several postponements, and the BoT meeting was a prelude to what was to come.
Already backed by his zone, Ude-Okoye arrived and was seated as the party’s National Secretary, until Anyanwu arrived.
In a viral video, a frustrated Ude-Okoye could be seen being dragged out of the meeting venue by suspected thugs.
He could be heard screaming and urging his supporters to take action.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies made up of the military, the police and the civil defence corps flooded the party’s secretariat.
Damagum, Wabara point accusing fingers
As the dust settled and the BoT meeting commenced, Umar Damagum, the acting national chairman of the party took umbrage at certain actions of the party’s leaders, accusing them of festering the crisis.
However, while he was lashing out at the party’s leaders, the BoT chairman, Adolphus Wabara had all his fingers pointed at the Damagum-led National Working Committee, NWC.
Damadum had this to say: “I want to use this opportunity to assure the BoT just like the (BoT) chairman has reiterated: there is a crisis within the national working committee (NWC). It is normal.
“Unfortunately, I want to say this with a high sense of responsibility, most of these crises that you see today within the NWC are propelled by our leaders who are supposed to unite us.
“It is very unfortunate. I would say it the way it is. We all know the workings of the NWC. Some of you here have been members of the NWC members.
“I’m sitting down here as the chairman only to see my members called by certain leaders to visit certain places without even my knowledge.
“I want to use this opportunity to caution us and our leaders. You may have ambition but you don’t ride on a dead horse to reach your destination.
“If you create a crisis simply to further your ambition, you may get what you want but your dream will not be realised because you have injured the horse you are going to ride to your destination.
“As the conscience (BoT) of this party, some of us are also complicit. We should look inward, and search our conscience. This party is dear to all of us. It is the only thing we have.
“The hope of Nigerians today is in this party. So, we should sheath our swords and work towards uniting ourselves so that they would have a credible vehicle that can challenge what is bedevilling us.”
On the anticipated February NEC meeting, he said, “The last meeting we had with the governors, we all agreed that we would have the NEC. And I want to assure you that we would do everything possible to have the NEC this February.
“You are all aware that we have started the process of zonal congresses. Even at that, I enjoin our leaders to also be mindful of doing anything that can mar these congresses. It is very important to sound this note.”
While shifting the blame, Wabara expressed his anger over the crisis rocking the NWC, just as he tasked the body to ensure that the NEC meeting held as scheduled.
He said, “This meeting comes at a time when the unity, focus, direction and ideals of our great Party are being tested in ways that call for reflection and decisive action.
“Primarily, let me express my profound disappointment over the crises currently rocking the leadership of the National Working Committee (NWC).
“As elder statesmen and women; leaders who hold the trust of the generality of our party members and the public, it is disheartening that these issues have not been resolved.
“The failure to resolve these internal conflicts undermines the strength and credibility of our party. It is, therefore, imperative that the NWC rises above personal interests and places the survival and progress of our great party above all other considerations.
“Nigerians are looking to us as a beacon of hope, and we cannot afford to let them down. We must rebuild trust and offer a credible alternative that prioritizes the welfare of the people.”
In the meantime, the party has commenced measures to resolve the crisis.
During its BoT meeting on Wednesday, it set up a committee led by Barrister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki to interface with the parties involved in the crisis, study the situation and report to the Board for further action.
A communique issued at the end of its 79th BoT meeting read: “The Board of Trustees at its 79th meeting today, Wednesday, January 29, 2025, critically assessed the State of affairs of the Nation and the Party and resolved as follows:
“The BoT expresses serious concerns over the unresolved challenges facing the Party especially as related to the disagreements within the National Working Committee, NWC.
“The BoT calls on the members of the NWC, all Organs, leaders and critical stakeholders of our Party across board to rise above personal, group or sectional interests and place the stability, unity, sustenance and progress of our Party and its ideals above all other considerations.
“In the effort to resolve the current crisis over the position of the National Secretary of the Party, which is presently before the Courts, the BoT set up a committee led by Barr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki SAN to interface with the parties, study the situation and report to the Board for further action.
“The Acting National Chairman assured the BoT that the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will hold as scheduled in February 2025 to address all pertinent issues and reaffirm our shared commitment to the unity, discipline, and ideals that bind us together as members of the PDP.”
Anyanwu, Ude-Okoye brought Ndigbo shame – Okechukwu
Speaking to DAILY POST, the immediate past Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, VON, Mr Osita Okechukwu said a resort to self-help was totally condemnable.
Okechukwu, a chieftain of the APC, said the development was a clear indication that the centre can no longer hold within the PDP.
“If anybody believes he is practicing democracy, democracy in every scenario provides a way out; which is the rule of law.
“You don’t need to resort to self-help; fighting means that you are resorting to self-help.
“So, the rule of law, it might take time before the law is pronounced, but in spite of that, it is better than self-help. Look at the shame they brought to us who are their brothers.
“And the fight they fought today will not end the matter; how many hours will they fight more to resolve the matter?
“I thought that Anyanwu as a Senator, should have been wise enough to know that there is no need to fight dirty; that the best is to go back and resort to law court, or Ude-Okoye could have done so, either.
“Because, I know they are in court already, whatever it is, if you don’t wait for the court, it then means you don’t know what you are doing. I condemn both of them for not waiting for the court to resolve their matter.
“And for the leadership of the party allowing this to degenerate to that level, but as you know, the painful thing for the PDP is that the centre can no more hold,” Okechukwu stated.
Politics not a tea party – PDP Ex-National Auditor, Nnaji
On his part, a former National Auditor of the party, Barr Ray Nnaji said what played out on Wednesday was part of politics.
He told DAILY POST in an interview that, “politics is not a tea party; it is expected at any given time, especially a big party.
“Two of them have been fighting over that position; one person said he has judgement from the Appeal Court, another person said he has gone to Supreme Court and has a stay of execution.
“If there is an order of stay of execution, then the person is supposed to be allowed pending the determination of appeal but if there is nothing like that, he is supposed to give way; notice of appeal or filing of stay of execution does not mean you have a stay of execution, except the appeal has been entered in the Supreme Court, then it stands as a stay in itself.
“But there is nothing you can do; you cannot tell any of them to stay out, so you allow them to flex their muscle; if what they are doing is beyond what the party should contain, the party should set up a disciplinary committee to look into their grievances, and take a position.”
When asked whether the physical fight was not dragging the party further into the mud, Nnaji disagreed thus: “I don’t think there is any image it is damaging; by the time the thing is resolved finally, everybody moves on.
“It is not damaging anything. What Trump did in 2021 on Capital Hill, did it damage the image of America? They contained it and eventually he came back. So, that is politics for you.”
“If Trump could get people who came out and reacted in America of all places, there were over 1000, now he is back, and freed all of them.
“That is to tell you that politics is survival of the fittest,” the PDP chieftain further stated.
Meanwhile, earlier in the week, Atiku had accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, of sowing seeds of discord among members of the opposition parties, the PDP inclusive.
He went as far as accusing the ruling APC of offering N50 million each to some party stakeholders to implant crisis, the National Publicity Secretary, APC, Felix Morka, said the PDP was imploding.
Morka said it was unfortunate that Atiku and the rest of the PDP members were not focusing on their internal problems.
He said: “The PDP is imploding. That is, you know, clear to everyone. It’s imploding not because of APC or what APC is doing or has done.
“As a matter of fact, the APC is doing nothing, we are busy minding our business and worrying about our own matters, sorting out our own internal issues, building cohesion and preparing for whatever contests that may come.
“The PDP should do the same. They should focus on their internal problems. But unfortunately, Atiku Abubakar and all of those in the PDP prefer to simply point fingers, busy themselves accusing the APC of attempting to destabilize the PDP and the opposition parties for that matter, we are doing no such thing.
“Look, only very bad workmen blame the tools. In this instance, the PDP has proven completely unable, utterly incompetent, to manage their own internal affairs. How then do they begin, as they do to tout themselves capable of governing Nigeria when they cannot even manage their own very little, small internal issues,” he said on Arise Television.
On its part, the Labour Party also denied receiving any gratification from the APC.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh the LP denied the claim.
He declared that the party’s leadership has “never received a dime from any individual, group, organisation or government who are not members of the Labour Party”.
According to the statement, it is improper for Atiku to “throw a shade at the entire opposition without also putting forward a tangible proof other than a ‘gossip’ from an unnamed source”.
“We are shocked that a high caliber politician who has contested the election all his life and is often regarded as a very experienced politician could make such a wild, unguarded and unfounded statement.
“For us in the Labour Party, a party which has remained the strongest and most veritable opposition and which speaks truth to power; a party that led the most serious campaign in the 2023 general election and has been steadfast and has remained the voice of the people, we view that statement as demeaning, ignominious, reckless and a let down from someone like Atiku Abubakar.
“We want to put it on record that the Labour Party has run a frugal administration from funds internally generated, having not received support from our elected representatives. And in spite of the challenges the party has faced in the recent past, the leadership of the party has remained solid and committed to the ideals of the party.
“The leadership has not received any salary from anybody. Salaries are not hidden and it is not difficult to verify who and who are on the government payroll. It is a public document and it can be verified. We therefore advise Atiku to be circumspect and careful in generalizing certain allegations. We expect him to speak for himself and his party.
“The opposition is the oxygen of any virile democracy, because it helps put the government in power in proper checks while also ensuring inclusivity in democratic participation. Democracy without opposition is an autocracy and it takes a lot of sacrifices to sustain opposition.
“It is therefore frustrating and unpatriotic when leaders who ought to know better, begin to derive joy in denigrating the opposition camp and making jests of their sacrifices.
“We are therefore calling on Atiku Abubakar to provide concrete evidence to substantiate his allegations without which Nigerians will be forced to take every other of his statements with a pinch of salt and are politically motivated,” the party stated.
PDP in messier crisis as National Secretary, Zonal Vice Chair positions divide NWC