The PDP has faced internal crises before and after the 2023 elections, with Damagum facing criticism for the party’s struggles since taking over from Iyorchia Ayu.
Sunday Ude-Okoye has been reaffirmed as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by governors elected under the party’s platform, following the Appeal Court’s judgment in Enugu State.
At a meeting held in Asaba, Delta State, on Friday, the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, distanced itself from Samuel Anyanwu and recognised Ude-Okoye as the legitimate secretary.
In a communique signed by Mohammed, the governors directed acting National Chairman Umar Damagum and the National Working Committee (NWC) to hold a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting by March 13, 2025.
The PDP has faced internal crises before and after the 2023 elections, with Damagum facing criticism for the party’s struggles since taking over from Iyorchia Ayu.
The leadership crisis intensified in 2023 when the PDP South-East zone nominated Ude-Okoye to replace Anyanwu, who contested the Imo governorship election.
On December 20, 2024, the Appeal Court ruled in favour of Ude-Okoye, but the Court of Appeal in Abuja issued a restraining order on January 27, 2025, allowing Anyanwu to remain in office until the Supreme Court’s final ruling.
The conflict turned physical on Thursday when Anyanwu’s supporters forcibly removed Ude-Okoye from a Board of Trustees meeting, prompting security intervention.
The governors reaffirmed the Appeal Court’s judgment and urged the NWC to implement it, stating, “The Forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgment.”
On national issues, the governors condemned the Federal Government’s economic policies, stating they “have inflicted hardship and [pain] on the polity” and called for urgent policy adjustments.
The forum praised security forces for combating banditry and assured Nigerians of the PDP’s commitment to restoring the country’s pre-2015 prosperity, security, and economic stability.
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