The embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has provided insights into the motivations behind certain party leaders' attempts to force him out of office.
In an interview with Vanguard, Anyanwu stated that he is being targeted due to his commitment to due process, respect for the rule of law, and his long-standing personal relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike. He noted that some party leaders from his zone (South East) view him as an obstacle to their political ambitions, which include taking control of the party structure.
“I was validly nominated and elected as National Secretary of this great party at a national convention, and our constitution clearly outlines how a person in the National Working Committee can be replaced if necessary,” he emphasized.
“I took time off to contest for the governorship of my state, and the Deputy National Secretary acted in my absence. Our constitution allows me to delegate functions to my deputy.
It was surprising that while I was campaigning, some individuals went as far as forging documents by illegally altering our party guidelines, inserting a clause that is not in the original document, which stated that I must resign. The police are currently investigating this matter, so I won't comment further.
Everyone is aware of my relationship with Chief Nyesom Wike. We were both local government chairmen and members of the PDP; I cannot deny that connection.
Anyanwu accused certain party governors of colluding with a faction of the Board of Trustees (BoT) in an effort to weaken the party for their own selfish gains. He pointed out that the recommendation from both bodies for Sunday Udeh-Okoye to be immediately sworn in as the substantive National Secretary, following a Court of Appeal judgment, was merely a “proxy war.”
The PDP leadership has become divided between Wike’s loyalists and supporters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Tensions escalated soon after the party’s 2023 presidential primary, where Atiku emerged victorious over Wike.
Wike’s supporters, including about four of his fellow governors, felt betrayed by the recent developments and chose to undermine Atiku’s presidential campaign. The dispute escalated further due to a fallout between Wike and his successor, Rivers State Governor Siminalaye Fubara.
Anyanwu and the party’s acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, are believed to align with Wike’s cause and have faced relentless attacks from their opponents. The committee, chaired by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), recommended that Udeh-Okoye be sworn in immediately in accordance with the court judgment.
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