PDP Governors’ Move Against Agitations 

 AUSTIN OBOH 

These are no easy times for the Peoples Democratic Party but its key organs appear decided on the choices before them. The party’s governors and Board of Trustees, this week, threw their weight behind Sunday Ude-Okoye, one of the two persons squabbling over the position of National Secretary of the PDP, thus calling the bluff of the Nyesom Wike faction that has backed Senator Samuel Anyanwu. Whereas Wike and his men have rejected the decision of the governors and the BoT, it is difficult to see what they can do under the circumstances without falling foul of the party’s rules which are going to be enforced by the Tom Ikimi led Disciplinary Committee soon. 

Led by Governor Bala Muhammed of Bauchi State, the PDP governors’ forum, affirmed Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary in accordance with the Appeal Court’s judgment in Enugu. The decision was taken during a meeting in Asaba, the capital of Delta State, on Friday. 

In a communique read and presented to journalists by Bala Mohammed, the governors also instructed the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and the National Working Committee to convene the National Executive Committee meeting by March 13. 

Recall that on December 20, 2024, the Appeal Court in Enugu had ruled in favour of Ude-Okoye, confirming him as the new National Secretary. The decision was officially communicated to the party leadership on December 24. 

However, on January 27, 2025, the Court of Appeal in Abuja issued a restraining order, instructing Anyanwu to remain in the position until the Supreme Court makes its final decision. 

The situation escalated into a crisis on Thursday during the Board of Trustees meeting, when some party supporters loyal to Anyanwu physically removed Ude-Okoye from the meeting. Normalcy was only restored after security personnel intervened. 

In response, the governors endorsed the Court of Appeal’s judgment and urged the NWC to put in place the necessary steps for its effective implementation. 

Part of the communique read: “The Forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the National Working Committee on the position of the National Secretary, and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment; consequently, the forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgment. 

“The forum, having examined all the notices required by law to be given to validly convoke NEC, advised the NWC to reschedule NEC to the 13th of March 2025.” 

It was speculated that the governors affirmed Udeh-Okoye because they were resolved to minimize the influence wielded by Wike in the party just as an insider source was quoted in a report as saying that most of the governors were weary of the prolonged internal crisis, and were eager to assume control of the party and move it forward. 

Expectedly, Ude-Okoye lauded the PDP governors for their determination and pledged to serve the party to the best of his ability just as the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, called the governors’ decision a positive development. According to Ologunagba, the PDP is a party that upholds the rule of law and is always prepared to respect court judgments. 

But Wike’s loyalists rejected the decision of the state governors, insisting that Anyanwu was the only recognised executive for the position until the national convention of the party. 

Members of the PDP National Executive Committee, including the Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, and a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi, warned the governors not to escalate the party’s crisis, stressing that opposing Wike’s camp might worsen the situation. 

On his part, Anyanwu argued that with the stay of execution, he remained the National Secretary of the PDP. 

In a letter dated February 1 and addressed to the Inspector General of Police, the President of the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and the Department of State Services, Anyanwu vowed to resist any attempt to remove him from his position. 

In the letter titled, ‘Security Alert: The Advice of PDP Governors’ Forum to the National Working Committee of the PDP – An Invitation to Chaos and an Affront to the Rule of Law,” Anyanwu called on security agencies to take appropriate actions to prevent the crisis allegedly being stirred by the governors and Ude-Okoye. 

Part of the letter read: “There is an urgent need for the police to take note of paragraph 3 of the communique issued by the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum after their meeting, which took place in Asaba, Delta State, on Friday, January 31, 2025. 

“In the quoted paragraph 3 of the communique, the forum advised the NWC to set up a mechanism for the implementation of the Enugu Court of Appeal judgment, which favoured the nomination of SKD Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary of the party. 

“The police should be aware that an appeal has been filed in the Supreme Court against the quoted judgment. Furthermore, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja granted an order on January 13, 2025, clearly directing both parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the substantive application. The order was duly served on all parties concerned, including the National Working Committee of PDP and INEC. 

“It is a settled matter in law that when a judgment is appealed against to a superior court, all parties should maintain the status quo ante bellum until the matter is finally determined. The governors cannot claim ignorance of this legal position before issuing their statement, which runs in conflict with the court’s decision.” 

Despite the objections of the Wike faction, the Board of Trustees of the PDP, on Tuesday, affirmed former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, as the party’s substantive National Secretary, throwing its weight behind PDP governors who had earlier backed Ude-Okoye. 

The BoT Chairman and former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, made the announcement on Tuesday at the 80th meeting of the Board in Abuja, following months of internal wrangling over the position. 

“The BoT, after reviewing all submissions and relevant court judgments, recognizes Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP in full compliance with the declaratory judgment of the Enugu High Court, upheld by the Court of Appeal,” Wabara stated. 

Wabara noted that the BoT’s decision was based on the report of a committee chaired by Barr. Kabiru Turaki (SAN), which thoroughly reviewed the legal and constitutional aspects of the matter. 

Wabara said, “The BoT asserts its role as the conscience of the party under Sections 13 (1)(r) and 32 (5)(a) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), ensuring the highest standards of morality within the party. 

“The BoT charges the NWC to recognize and immediately swear in Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary of the PDP, in obedience to the judgment of the Court of Appeal.” 

Still dissatisfied with the Board’s directive to the NWC to swear in Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary, Anyanwu cited the ongoing court case and the expiration of the tenures of about 80% of the BoT members who attended the meeting at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja. He also pointed out that he was not invited to the meeting, nor was the National Chairman, who is also a member of the BoT. 

Anyanwu stated: “I’m a member of the BoT, I was not invited to the meeting, and neither was the National Chairman. This shows a lot. In any case, the tenure of about 80% of those at the meeting expired in October last year. They are also aware that this matter is in court. Even Chairman Wabara, who was taken to court, sent a representative. Their advice is just that — advice, and it cannot be taken seriously.” 

As the dispute over the position of National Secretary lingers, observers have expressed fears that the PDP is set for another electoral defeat. The observers believe that the internal crisis in the party was driving prominent members of the party into defection, thus depleting its potential. 

Nonetheless, the Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, while reaffirming the validity of the party’s decision to support Ude- Okoye, has pointed out that the party would emerge stronger from its present crisis. 

Lawal noted that the PDP must learn from past mistakes, adding that the recent governors’ meeting in Delta State demonstrated the party’s commitment to regaining its footing. 

Speaking in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during a condolence visit to the state governor, Seyi Makinde, over the passing of his elder brother, Sunday Makinde, Lawal expressed confidence in the PDP’s resilience. 

This was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s Special Adviser (Media), Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, and made available to newsmen in Ibadan. 

Addressing the current developments within the PDP, Lawal stated: “In politics, there are always issues. With what happened in Delta two days ago, it shows we are making waves and are on track to reconnect with the people to lead this country. 

“We, the governors, are the leaders of this party. We have a say, and whatever we decide will be implemented. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the PDP. 

“The ongoing crisis is normal; it happens in other parties, too. So, it is nothing new. It is one of those things. This will ultimately make us stronger because we need to learn from certain mistakes. It is all part of the learning process.” 

Nigerians sympathetic to the PDP have expressed hope that the tortuous learning process which the party has embarked on would not ultimately be too costly.