The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reinstated Senator Samuel Anyanwu as its National Secretary, following months of internal wrangling over the rightful occupant of the office.
Ambassador Iliya Damagum, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, made the announcement during a press conference held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday. He was joined by prominent party stakeholders including Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Damagum admitted that the decision to reinstate Anyanwu into the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) was not an easy one.
“It was a critical decision,” he said. “Anyanwu is resuming as the National Secretary. Like INEC said, they don’t have our notice, so what we will have on June 30 is an extended Caucus.”
He also revealed that the planned National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting had been suspended.
“We will have an expanded Caucus. At the next Caucus, we will take a decision leading to a proper NEC,” Damagum stated.
The announcement comes after a high-level meeting between PDP leaders and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Tuesday.
Though both parties declined to brief the press following the meeting, sources told Daily Trust that INEC advised the PDP to comply with the Supreme Court ruling on the position of the national secretary. The electoral body also emphasized that it would only recognize correspondences signed jointly by the party’s national chairman and national secretary.
INEC had earlier rejected the PDP’s notice for a NEC meeting scheduled for the end of June, citing the absence of a valid signature from the substantive national secretary.
Sources disclosed that INEC refused to acknowledge any individual as national secretary, stating that it was the party’s responsibility to determine its leadership based on the Supreme Court ruling.
“The party wanted to know from INEC who is recognised as the national secretary, but the commission told the party that the Supreme Court ruling on the matter was clear and that what the party needed to do was to obey the judgement,” a senior PDP official told Daily Trust.
In response, PDP leaders convened another strategic meeting at the Bauchi Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, to find a resolution.
The leadership tussle began after Anyanwu emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate for the 2023 election in Imo State. During his campaign absence, the South East caucus of the party appointed Sunday Udeh-Okoye, a former National Youth Leader, as acting National Secretary.
After losing the election, Anyanwu attempted to reclaim his position, but was resisted by some party members from his zone, including Chief Ali Odefa, the Deputy National Chairman (South East).
The dispute led to a series of legal battles. In December 2024, the Court of Appeal in Enugu upheld Udeh-Okoye’s position as the rightful national secretary. Dissatisfied with the verdict, Anyanwu escalated the case to the Supreme Court.
While the apex court set aside the earlier rulings, it did not outrightly name a national secretary, instead declaring that the party reserves the right to determine its internal leadership.
The ambiguous ruling deepened the crisis, with both factions claiming legitimacy.
In a bid to maintain administrative stability, the PDP Governors Forum had earlier nominated Deputy National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo to serve in acting capacity, pending resolution.
With the latest decision, the PDP hopes to restore internal harmony and project a united front as it prepares for upcoming political activities.
