The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially reinstated Senator Samuel Anyanwu as its National Secretary, ending months of internal wrangling and legal battles over the position. The announcement was made on Wednesday at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja by Ambassador Iliya Damagum, the Acting National Chairman.
Flanked by key party figures, including Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Damagum acknowledged that the decision to reinstate Anyanwu was a difficult but necessary move. He also announced the cancellation of the much-anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting previously scheduled for later this month.
“We will now have an expanded Caucus. At the next Caucus meeting, we will take a decision leading to a properly convened NEC,” Damagum stated. “Anyanwu is resuming as the National Secretary. That is why I said it was a critical decision.”
The move follows a high-level meeting between PDP leaders and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, held on Tuesday. While no official statements were made after the closed-door meeting, sources revealed that INEC reminded the PDP of the need to adhere to the Supreme Court judgment on the rightful holder of the National Secretary position.
INEC reportedly maintained that it would only recognize official party correspondence signed jointly by the national chairman and national secretary. The commission had earlier rejected PDP’s notice for a NEC meeting on the grounds that it was signed solely by Acting Chairman Damagum.
The Trumpet gathered that the PDP leadership, alarmed by INEC’s firm stance, convened another emergency meeting at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, to resolve the matter. A senior party insider disclosed that INEC refused to name who it considered the legitimate secretary, stressing that it is the party’s responsibility to decide its leadership in line with the Supreme Court’s verdict.
The controversy over the National Secretary role began when Anyanwu, having won the PDP ticket for the 2023 Imo Governorship Election, vacated the position. During his absence, the South East Caucus nominated Sunday Udeh-Okoye, former National Youth Leader, as a replacement.
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Following his defeat in the Imo election, Anyanwu returned to reclaim his post but was met with resistance from influential stakeholders in the South East, notably Chief Ali Odefa, the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South). This led to a flurry of litigations, with the Court of Appeal in Enugu affirming Udeh-Okoye’s appointment in December 2024.
Unhappy with the ruling, Anyanwu escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, which overturned the lower court’s decision. However, the apex court noted that while its ruling nullified Udeh-Okoye’s claim, the PDP, as a political organization, retains the final authority to determine its leadership.
This judgment, rather than resolving the issue, deepened the internal crisis as both camps claimed victory. In a bid to manage the chaos, PDP governors appointed Deputy National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo as acting secretary pending final resolution.
With Anyanwu now reinstated, the PDP appears to have made its choice. However, whether this decision will unite or further polarize the party remains to be seen as it navigates the road to internal reconciliation and prepares for upcoming political contests.
