The controversy over the position of the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has escalated with the Concerned Peoples Democratic League, CPDPL, reaffirming its support for Senator Samuel Nnameka Anyanwu and accusing some party members of attempting to destabilize the party.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, on Friday, CPDPL’s apex leader, Daboikiabo Warmate, alleged that certain high-ranking PDP members were spreading misinformation and orchestrating an illegal takeover of the party’s National Secretary position.
Warmate specifically accused Ikenga Ugochinyere – Member of the House of Representatives, Debo Ologunagaba, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kamaladin Ajibade, SAN, the PDP National Legal Adviser, Sen. Adolphus Wabara, the suspended PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Chairman.
According to Warmate, the named persons mutilated and fabricated a portion of the PDP constitution for their personal interests.
He further accused Wabara of tampering with the BoT list to include Sunday Udeh Okoye, which he claimed led to thugs invading the PDP national secretariat.
Warmate provided a detailed timeline of the legal proceedings surrounding Anyanwu’s position:
”April-May 2023: Anyanwu took an annual leave to focus on his Imo State gubernatorial campaign, with INEC duly notified.
”January 9, 2024: A Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order restraining any attempt to remove Anyanwu—an order that has neither been stayed nor appealed.
”October 25, 2023: An Enugu High Court ruled that Anyanwu’s seat was vacant due to his governorship candidacy, prompting an appeal.
”December 20, 2024: An Appeal Court in Enugu upheld the High Court ruling and fined Anyanwu ₦1 million.
”January 13, 2025: The Appeal Court in Abuja granted a stay of execution, maintaining Anyanwu’s status as National Secretary”.
Despite the legal clarity, Warmate accused some PDP leaders of deliberately misinterpreting the law to advance their agenda.
Warmate urged PDP members to reject what he called an “illegal takeover” and instead recognize Anyanwu as the rightful National Secretary.
Part of the statement reads, “It’s with great disappointment and shame that we have read, listened and watched the brazing lies and propaganda of Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, the insubordination and impersonation of the National Publicity Secretary Hon. Debo Olunulagba, the misinterpretation and misrepresentation of the PDP constitution by the National Legal Adviser Hon. Kamaladin Ajibade (SAN) and the disregard for the party constitution by the suspended BOT Chairman Sen Adolphus Wabara, as regards the national secretary position and the authentic national secretary of our great party, the PDP.
“Now having discovered that they have no constitutional basis to unseat the most distinguished Sen. S. N. Anyanwu, they resorted to engaging the services of a known liar and propagandist in the person of Ikenga Ugochinyere to pass through the back door.
“They also engaged the services of the national legal adviser who he once accused of collecting two million dollars from the FCT Minister and Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the most ineffective National Publicity Secretary PDP has ever produced.
“Meanwhile, Sen. Adolphus Wabara, the suspended BOT Chairman, in furtherance of his evil and unpopular agenda tempered with the BOT list and smuggled in the name of Sunday Udeh Okoye which led to the party national secretariat being invaded by thugs.
“Thereafter, they have been doing the bidding of their pay masters, which is to destabilize PDP. This is a man that secured two stays of execution within three days (30th May & 2nd June) in 2023, granted by Hon. Justice Welson Egbo Egbo and became a senator and Senate President via the instrumentality of that stay of execution and he is refusing to recognize the same stay of execution in the case of Sen. S. N. Anyanwu.
“We therefore, urge all PDP faithfuls that are ignorantly supporting an illegality and disaster of Hon. Sunday Udeh Okoye as national secretary to stop forthwith and retract their steps.
“We commend the disposition of the national chairman and national secretary and the mature manner in which they handle the affairs of the party in this trying times of the party. Nobody can destroy or destabilize PDP. We insist that Sen, Samuel Anyanwu remains the authentic PDP National Secretary in line with the party constitution and other existing laws of the land.”
