The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has alleged that some party leaders are making efforts to push him out of office.
He claims that his insistence on due process, adherence to the rule of law, and his association with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, are the reasons behind these moves.
Anyanwu stated that some political figures from the South East see him as an obstacle to their ambitions, particularly their plans to control the party structure. He argued that he was properly elected as National Secretary at a national convention, and any effort to remove him must follow the provisions of the party’s constitution.
He said, “I was validly nominated and elected as National Secretary of this great party at a national convention, and our constitution clearly spells out how a person occupying positions in the National Working Committee can be replaced if the need arises.
“I took time off to contest for the governorship of my state, and the Deputy National Secretary acted while I was away. Our constitution gives me the power to delegate functions to my deputy.
“It was strange that while I was campaigning, some people went as far as forging documents by illegally altering our party guidelines and inserted a clause that is not in the original document to say I must resign. The police is investigating I won’t say much on that.
“Everybody knows my relationship with (Chief Nyesom) Wike. We were local government chairmen and members of the PDP; I cannot deny him.”
He accused some PDP governors and members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of working together to weaken the party for personal interests. He also noted that the call for Sunday Udeh-Okoye to be sworn in as National Secretary was a strategic move in an ongoing power struggle.
The PDP has been deeply divided since the 2023 presidential primary, where Atiku Abubakar defeated Wike. Many of Wike’s allies, including four former governors, felt sidelined and later worked against Atiku’s campaign. The internal conflict worsened following a rift between Wike and his successor as Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Anyanwu, along with the party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, is considered loyal to Wike. This has made them targets for those who support Atiku and other opposing factions within the PDP.
He urged those pushing for his removal to wait until his tenure ends in December 2025, saying they can contest the position at the next party convention if they wish to replace him.
Meanwhile, the PDP Governors Forum recently endorsed Udeh-Okoye as the rightful National Secretary during a meeting in Asaba, Delta State. Their decision was based on a ruling from the Enugu Court of Appeal, which recognized Udeh-Okoye as the legitimate officeholder.
Following this, the BoT also backed the governors’ position after reviewing a report from a committee led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN). The committee recommended Udeh-Okoye’s immediate swearing-in in line with the court judgment.
