*Only a convention can remove me -Anyanwu
By Euclid Myke, Abuja
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is taking a new twist following the continued stay in office of the party’s National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu who though sacked by an Appeal Court, obtained a stay of execution and appealed the judgement at the Supreme Court.
Following the development, a faction of the party led by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah and other stakeholders, including Chairman of Board of Trustees (BoT) Sen. Adolphus Wabara, National Vice Chairman South East, Ali Odefa and other stalwarts insisted that the tenure of the party’s National Secretary Sen. Samuel Anyanwu was over and affirmed Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye affirmed as replacement in line with an Appeal Court judgment.
The group members were conspicuously absent during a stakeholders meeting on Tuesday between members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of South East extraction and other critical stakeholders from the zone.
Others absent were: Chief Ali Odefa, Sen. Osita Ngwu, Sen. Austin Akobundu, Chief Okwesili Nwodo, Chief Rex Onyeabor among other while Chief Jim Nwobodo sent apologies.
The meeting which took place at the party’s headquarters, Wadata house Abuja was called by the National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu who is the highest ranking member of the NWC from the zone.
Recall that a faction of stakeholders had in Enugu over the weekend affirmed the party’s former National Youth Leader, Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye, as a replacement for Anyanwu following a judgement on an Appeal court in Enugu.
In a communique read after the Enugu meeting which was hosted by the Enugu State governor Peter Mbah and attended by Sen. Adolphus Wabara (BoT) Chairman; Senate Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu and other members of the National Assembly; former governors, former ministers, the stakeholders commended the Court of Appeal’s judgement that uphold Sunday Ude-Okoye’s nomination as the National Secretary and further expressed confidence in the judiciary to uphold justice in the matter.
Member representing Ideato Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ikenga Ugochinyere, told Journalists after the meeting that the future of the PDP hinges on the outcomes of the national congresses scheduled for December, warning that any misstep could spell the end of the party.
But in a counter meeting at the party’s headquarters on Tuesday, the faction led by the party’s National Secretary Sen. Anyanwu, affirmed the expulsion of Odefa from the party and his replacement with Chidiebere Goodluck.
In his opening address, Anyanwu frowned at attempt made by the zone to remove him from office before the end of his tenure. He urged all those interested in his position to wait till December as it is only a national congress that is empowered to elect an NWC member.
He also accused Odefa of forging the party’s PDP guideline and deceiving the governor of Enugu State into believing that the party’s constitution makes it mandatory for any party official of resign from office before contesting an office.
“In October, the former National Vice Chairman South East, Chief Ali Odefa went and connived with some people to remove me as the National Secretary. He went and convinced the governor of Enugu that our constitution says that I will resign for me to run because he knows that his tenure as National Vice Chairman is coming to an end, so he wanted to perpetuate himself in office. So he sold this idea to the governor of Enugu state His Excellency Peter Mbah whom I met and told him that it is wrong.
“He went and printed fake electoral guidelines for primary election and took it to his excellency and he bought into it without knowing the truth. Based on that, they now came and told me that I should resign.
“On the 10th of November while I was busy preparing for my election, they went and got an order from a state high court in Enugu and based on this fake document, the judge gave an order that I am supposed to have resigned. They told me that someone else has been appointed, one Ude-Okoye has been appointed as National Secretary of the party.
“I was elected through a national convention and it is only through convention that I can be removed.
“They went ahead and told the governor, because he is the only governor from the South East that if I become a governor, as former National Secretary of the party, that I will be too powerful and that it is better for him to continue to become the only governor from the South East.
“On the 9th of January 2025, Federal High Court Abuja gave a judgement that I remain the national secretary of this party until 9th of December, 2025 when my tenure will elapse” he narrated.
Throwing more light on the situation of the party in the zone he continued, “My worry is that here in the South East, our own people are desirous of removing their own. What is the reason, it is because of their personal interest, they now presented somebody else to be the national secretary by default so that he can come back as National Vice Chairman” he said.
The deputy National Legal adviser of the party, Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha in his message said that he was at the meeting in Enugu and opposed the plot to remove Anyanwu and replace him with Ude-Okoye.
The two-time commissioner in Abia State and former Local Government Chairman said that what is happening in the south east is not something to cheer about.
“I am surprised to see the wrangling in the South East, bickering, envy and jealousy because of personal interest and we should not allow it.
“Our democracy thrives on the rule of law and our party must thrive on the rule of law. The constitution of the party provided how a national officer can resign while contesting for an election. It provided that he can only resign when he assumes office. As our national secretary narrated, he was given ticket to contest for governorship. So if our party, in its wisdom had wanted him to exit from that office, they could have negotiated with him at that beginning, and asked that ‘if we give you ticket for this governorship position, you will resign’ but it was not done. But the constitution provided only when he assumes office” he stated.
Prior to the meeting, a faction of South East stakeholders had distanced itself from the meeting.
In a statement on Tuesday, Odefa said, “My attention has been drawn to a purported invitation of critical South East Stakeholders of the PDP to a meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great Party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.
“As the National Vice Chairman (South East) and member of the NWC representing the South East, I hereby authoritatively state that no such meeting is scheduled between the South East Stakeholders and the NWC.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP South East has at the Zonal Committee (ZEC) meeting attended by all South East critical stakeholders in Enugu, Enugu State on Friday, January 25, 2025, discussed and unanimously agreed on all matters related to the planned South East Zonal Congress
“All PDP South East Critical Stakeholder, staff of the National Secretariat of the PDP and the media should therefore disregard the purported invitation to a meeting of the South East Stakeholders with the NWC as no such meeting was scheduled”.
In a communique read at the end of the meeting, stakeholders said,
“It was resolved that the meeting which was held at Government House Enugu purporting to be a meeting of the Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) was not a meeting of the structure of the PDP in the constitution of the party arising from the following:
“There was no zonal working committee member presiding the ZWC meeting and accordingly no memorandum was produced in accordance with article 27(7) of the PDP constitution.
“There was no proper summoning of the ZEC meeting, because as that time there was no person, lawfully who has the power to summon such a meeting, on the ground that Chief Alif Odefa who could have summoned the meeting was no longer the National Vice Chairman because he has been expelled as a member of the party following the judgment of the Federal High Court and the decision of relevant organs of the party. As at today, that judgment of the Federal High Court has not been stayed.
“The purported zoning of office is also not a decision of the party because the meeting was not a meeting of a structure of the party.
“The appointment of Chidiebere Goodluck as successor of Odefa is here by ratified”
However, it still remains a mirage how the party whose fortunes is weaning daily in the South East will surmount this impasse.
Some of those present in the meeting were Chief Chris Ubah NEC member, Hon. Jones Onyeriri, Hon, Obinna Chidoka, Hon. Abraham Amah State Chairman Abia State, Hon. Austin Nwachukwu Chairman Imo State, Hon. Mike Ahumibe Zonal Organizing Secretary, Bar. Ubani Ukaegbu Zonal Legal Adviser and others.
