Ahead of the 2027 general election, the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has continued its battle to strengthen its unity and keep the party together, against efforts of some unseen hands working behind the scene to weaken and break the party into factions.
The party is currently in a make-or-mar battle to resolve the contentious issue of who should be the authentic occupier of the office of the party’s National Secretary.
At the centre of the ring are two gladiators, Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Udeh-Okoye, the incumbent National Secretary and his deputy respectively, each drawing strength from party officials divided by some selfish interests.
In the midst of the crises, the party’s Governors Forum and the Board of Trustees BoT, have appeared to have formed a formidable ally, working in tandem, to stabilise the party
BDSunday checks however, revealed that their positions do not carry the weight of the law, they are therefore, “purely advisory and unenforceable.”
In its efforts to health the drifts in the party, the PDP Governors’ Forum, at a recent meeting in Asaba, the Delta state capital, advised the party’s National Working Committee NWC, “to set up a machinery for the implementation of the Enugu Court of Appeal judgement which favoured the nomination of Sunday Ude Okoye as the National Secretary of the Party.
The party’s BoT also in line with the above position of the Governors, at its emergency meeting of Wednesday February 5, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, advised the NWC to swear in Udeh Okoye as the National Secretary
The Board of Trustees said they arrived at the decision after “thoroughly considering critical issues in the party.”
The BoT said it was “asserting its inherent authority under Section 32 (5)(a) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) which empowers it to ensure highest standards of morality in all the activities of the Party by acting as the conscience of the Party, with powers to call to order any officer of the Party, whose conduct falls below the norms.
“The BoT in exercise of its constitutional powers received, exhaustively considered and hereby adopt the report of its committee led by Barr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki SAN on the issue of the National Secretary of the PDP especially with regard to the declarative judgment of the High Court of Enugu as upheld by the Court of Appeal.
“Consequently, the BoT by adopting the report recognises Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP in full obedience to the declaratory Judgment of the High Court of Enugu as also upheld by the Court of Appeal there being no contrary or overriding judgment from any Court of superior jurisdiction.
“The BoT charges the National Working Committee (NWC) to recognise and immediately swear in Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of the PDP in obedience to the Judgment of the Court of Appeal.
But Okechukwu Osuoha, the party’s deputy National Legal Adviser, while speaking with BDSunday on the issue, called for caution, adding that “people should know that what they are doing today, has implications for the party in the future.”
Osuoha, who stated that the party’s action must be guided by its Constitution, declared that Section 48 of the PDP, stipulates procedures for resignation of elected party officials
“We were elected at a convention and section 48 of the PDP Constitution says that a national officer can resign from his position, on “the assumption of another office.”
BDSunday checks show that section 45 (3), stipulates that “In the case of National Secretary, he shall hand over to the Deputy National Secretary and went on to say in subsection (4), that “This provision shall apply mutatis mutandis to other levels of the Party structure.”
Thus, in section 48, which deals with the “Prohibition from holding dual offices, in 48 (1), the Constitution says “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, any member holding any office in the Party at any level shall be deemed to have resigned that office, if he or she assumes any of the following offices –
(a) President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
(b) Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
(c) Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
(d) Federal Minister;
(e) Secretary to the Government of the Federation;
(f) Special Adviser or Special Assistant to the President or Vice
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
(g) Membership of the National and State Assemblies;
(h) Ambassador
(i) Governor or Deputy Governor of a State;
(j) Commissioner Special Adviser or Special Assistant to the Governor
or Deputy Governor of a State
Osuoha, noted that the word “assumes” have been over looked by those asking Samuel Anyanwu to hand over to Udeh- Okoye, adding that “The actions of these organs are not in line with the position of the law.
According to him, “Their actions are not enforceable under the party’s constitution and are therefore, just advisory. Anyanwu has appealed to the Supreme Court.
Osuoha, who described Turaki as “a very experienced lawyer,” haven attained the enviable status of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, wondered how Turaki can give such order.
“People should thread with caution. Turaki should not even delve into this matter, knowing fully well that the matter is currently before the Supreme Court of the land.”
Osuoha, while warning both the PDP Governors’ Forum and the BoT against playing the roles of “meddlesome interlopers.”
He explained that they were acting like “mere busy body or a meddlesome interloper/wayfarer or officious intervener” added that “I hope they are not trying to destroy the party.”
Samuel Anyanwu, in his petition to the Police, called the resolutions of the Governors and the party’s BoT members as “an invitation to anarchy.”
Anyanwu, while drawing the police attention to an appeal which has been filed in supreme court against the quoted judgement, added that “Furthermore, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja granted an order on January 13, 2025, clearly directing both parties to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the substantive application. The order accordingly was duly served on all parties concerned including the National Working Committee of PDP and INEC.”
According to Anyanwu, “It is a settled matter in law that when a Judgement is appealed against to a superior court all parties should maintain status quo ante-belum till the matter is finally determined. The Governors cannot claim ignorance of this position of law before issuing their statement which runs in conflict with the court decision.
“It is saddening that the Governors in their expected wisdom have allowed themselves to be deceived by the sponsors of Ude Okoye who are already facing criminal investigations by the police against the forged PDP Guidelines which they used to mislead the courts in securing the ill-fated judgements.
“Police is therefore being alerted of the grave dangers that will ensue in the attempt of the NWC to implement the quoted advice of the PDP Governors Forum enshrined in paragraph 3 of their communique. It will be an invitation to chaos and affront to the judiciary and the rule of law especially when the matter is pending before the superior courts for determination.
“I am by this letter calling on you to take necessary steps to forestall the crises being instigated by the PDP Governors and the sponsors of Ude Okoye. The National Working Committee of PDP should be advised to refrain from any action that will be contrary to the position of the court on this matter. It is my right as a lawful citizen to seek justice against a judgement that was fraudulently secured against me.
“In the interest of peace, safety of lives and property of innocent Nigerians all parties to this case should be cautioned to conduct themselves in line with the rule of law and decision of the Court of Appeal to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the motion. Anything contrary to this will be vehemently resisted. I still remain the validly elected National Secretary of PDP until the court rules otherwise.”
Ukpai Ukairo, the party’s South East zonal legal adviser, in a petition to the party’s National Secretariat, described the position of the Governors and the BoT as “a gross abuse of fair hearing by an administrative panel, adding that “The decision of the BOT is completely flawed on this foundation as incompatible with best practices”
According to him, “BOT showed a complete disrespect to the office of the National Legal Adviser, and to the offices of all Legal Advisers elected by the PDP at different levels and organs of the PDP.
“Article 42(1)(a) of the Constitution of the People’s Democratic Party that the function of the National Legal Adviser shall be to: Advice the Party on all legal matters, Accordingly, if the BoT was faced with a legal issue, it was incumbent on it to seek the advice of the National Legal Adviser.
Ukairo noted that “To ignore that office, and proceed in the manner captured in the communique is unconstitutional and an affront to the constitution of the PDP, Ipso facto, the office of the South East Zonal Adviser is constitutionally entrenched.
“The occupier of the office of the National Secretary is a member of the South East Zonal Executive Committee referred to in the Communique. I am the Legal Adviser of the South East Zonal Executive of the PDP. “Regrettably, the BOT did not seek to have input from my office, in my official capacity, and proceeded to hear itself and determine by itself such a contentious matter. Unless, there is a programme to foist lawlessness on and disrespect of the Constitution of PDP the BOT communique must be thrown overboard.”
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