Samuel Anyanwu, the embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has reaffirmed his position as the authentic holder of the office, despite a legal dispute with party chieftain Sunday Ude-Okoye.
Anyanwu made this declaration during an appearance on the current affairs program Nigeria Right Now with Dickson Iroegbu, stating that he remains the legitimate national secretary. His statement comes amid a crisis within the PDP, where both Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye are laying claim to the position.
The controversy began after the Court of Appeal ruled in December 2024 that Ude-Okoye should replace Anyanwu following his nomination by the South-East zonal executive of the party. However, Anyanwu had obtained several court injunctions blocking his removal. In response to the court’s ruling, Anyanwu appealed the judgment and filed for a stay of execution at the Supreme Court on the same day the verdict was delivered.
“I am still the national secretary of PDP. On December 20, the appeal court ruled in favor of Ude-Okoye, but before that, I had a federal high court judgment confirming my position. My tenure remains valid until December 2025,” Anyanwu explained.
This legal battle has heightened tensions within the PDP, with both sides asserting their legitimacy.