The crisis of confidence within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be far from being over, as the schism within the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) gets worse with two different power blocs issuing contradictory press releases on crucial party matter.
No sooner had a bloc within the NWC represented by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba addressed a press conference announcing the party’s acceptance of the Appeal Court’s ruling sacking Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary and enthronement of Sunday Kelly Enemchukwu Udeh-Okoye in his stead than the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi held a separate press conference to declare that Senator Anyanwu remained in his position pending the final resolution of the national secretaryship dispute by the Supreme Court.
Accusing Ologunagba of being driven by sentiments and interest, Abdullahi claimed he acted at the behest of the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum to counter the National Publicity Secretary.
The court of Appeal, Enugu Division had on December 24th sacked Anyanwu and declared Udeh-Okoye as the authentic National Secretary of the party following a suit by the latter which had sought to remove Senator Anyanwu from that position having emerged the party’s candidate for the November 2023 Imo State governorship election.
Udeh- Okoye, a former PDP National Youth Leader who was nominated by the South-East chapter of the party as Senator Anyanwu’s replacement had argued that he (Senator Anyanwu) lost his position as National Secretary when he vied for and secured the PDP ticket for the Imo guber election.
Following Senator Anyanwu’s emphatic declaration that he had “resumed” office despite the Appeal court ruling and the Ologunagba’s group acceptance of his sack by the appellate court, keen followers of the unfolding drama had predicted the situation signposted darker and more troubling days for the party.
Briefing journalists on the court judgement, Ologunagba had maintained that the party recognised Okoye as the authentic National Secretary of the party in obedience to the appeal court ruling.
“There were two court orders, and on Dec. 24, 2023, after consultation with the PDP National Legal Adviser, it was confirmed that we had received the judgment of the appeal court affirming Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary of the party.
“We are a rule of law-compliant party; we believe in this finality of the judicial process. We have always respected judicial pronouncements and we will always abide by that culture. The position of the party has not changed regarding that.
“In accordance with our position in the past as a rule of law-compliant party, we are obeying the court’s order. We will follow the process and ensure full compliance with the pronouncement of the court of appeal.
“We have received the judgment of the court of appeal that affirmed Ude-Okoye as National Secretary of PDP, and as a party, we are bound by that judgment”, Ologunagba said.
However, when Senator Anyanwu stormed the PDP national secretariat in defiance of the Appeal court judgement, he dismissed Ologunagba’s position on the matter as his personal opinion, insisting that he remained the authentic National Secretary of the PDP pending the final determination of the case by the Supreme Court.
Hon. Geoffrey Ekong, a member of the party in Akwa Ibom State is concerned that Senator Anyanwu’s defiance of the Appeal Court ruling and his rubbishing of Ologunagba’s press briefing, which announced the PDP’s National Working Committee’s acceptance of the ruling will inevitably result in a fresh round of rancour, factionalization, suspension and counter suspension within the NWC.
According to him, “agents of the APC masquerading as members and leaders of the PDP are doing everything humanly possible to wear out the party and destroy it before moving to the APC just before the commencement of the 2027 general elections. That is their agenda, that is their plan and all these are all about the 2027 presidential election. They don’t want a united and formidable PDP to present a strong candidate to challenge the incumbent president and his party.”
He further said that “the schism within the NWC is still there and even widening; the Ologunagba faction that announced the acceptance of the Appeal Court ruling and the Umar Damagum/Anyanwu faction that defied the ruling are likely to suspend each other once again just as they did in October and this is not good for the stability of the party, not good for a party that hopes to upstage the ruling party in two years’ time.
“As leaders, I expected the Damagum/Anyanwu group to respect the rule of law instead of making mockery of it. Defiance of a court order, in this case, the second highest court in the land, is a bad omen. This is regrettable”
Meanwhile, while Senator Anyanwu insists that “I have appealed the Appeal Court judgment and filed for a stay of execution, until these matters are resolved, I remain the National Secretary,” Ologunagba, maintained that Ude-Okoye remains the recognised National Secretary of the PDP on the strength of the Appeal Court ruling, which he noted, is declarative in nature, and therefore, cannot be stayed.
Ologunagba further posit that “the PDP has not received any notice of motion or stay of execution. Anyanwu’s actions are unfortunate. This is a party of law and order, and we will continue to abide by court judgments. Those who resort to self-help are not acting in the party’s interest.”
The PDP image makers also suggests that some elements within the party are in bed with the APC and are fuelling the crisis rocking his party.
Although the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, Daily Sun learnt, was instrumental in preventing the Anyanwu-Ude Okoye feud from dangerously degenerating, its chairman and former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara is of the view that Senator Anyanwu should give peace a chance by abiding by the Appeal Court ruling.
“The judgment affirming Ude -Okoye as PDP National Secretary is a welcome judgment. It further lends credence to the decision of the South East PDP on the issue. We had always contended that the party’s constitution must be obeyed, and the Appeal Court judgment has just affirmed that.
“Since PDP is a party that obeys the law, and believes in constitutionality, we should obey this court order. As the BoT chairman of the party, I want to request of the NWC of our party to obey that judgment. If at sometime in the future, there is a counter court judgment, we won’t have any option but obey it. Such counter-judgment must come from a superior court, and the Supreme Court in this circumstance.
“I want to make it very clear; I have consulted widely on this and found that the issue of stay of execution does not come in here. One can only challenge the judgment but not stay the execution because that judgment is a declaratory judgment. In law, the execution of a declaratory judgment cannot be stayed. It can only be challenged in a higher court.
“You cannot stay action on declaratory judgment. I will, therefore, advise those going to court for a stay of execution not to waste their money on that. They should apply their money appropriately towards the Supreme Court, and not to cause problem here and there, thinking that once you appeal against a judgment, it is automatic stay of execution. That does not apply here because declaratory judgment does not entertain stay of execution.”
Political analysts and watchers of the unfolding drama in the PDP are of the view that the dispute between Senator Anyanwu and Ude Okoye over the Secretaryship of the party may lead to its final amputation. They further submit that the dispute could create a leeway for broader schism in the party resulting in the emergence of parallel or factional NWC, a situation that could provide an alibi for some governors of the party as well as National Assembly members who are already allegedly in defection talks with the ruling APC to quicken their exit.
For example, an impeccable PDP source disclosed that “despite the denial by Governor Sheriff Francis Oborevwori’s aides about his impending defection to the APC, he is in fact in the final stages of his plans to leave the PDP; he will move soon and will be citing the crisis in the PDP and its inability to function properly as an opposition party as reasons for leaving.
“The truth is that the governor is concerned about his second term, he feels that the PDP is in a bad shape and lacks the steam to guarantee him second term. He also wants to enjoy the cover and assistance the so-called federal might gives to ruling party candidates during elections. Besides, given the influence his kinsman and former Governor, Chief James Ibori still wields in the state, Governor Oborevwori is desirous of belonging to the same political party and political camp as Ibori; as you know, Chief Ibori is now an APC chieftain and calls the shots in Delta chapter of the party,” the source added.
Daily Sun further gathered that because of his alleged defection moves, Governor Oborevwori has lately been intolerable of criticisms against the APC and its leaders.
“ It may interest you to know that contrary to the charges of incompetence levelled against the erstwhile commissioner for information, Ifeanyi Osuoza as a reason for his sack, he was actually fired because of his harsh criticism of the Delta APC and acerbic rebuttal of Governor Oborevwori’s alleged defection plans; a rebuttal where the commissioner had assured that ‘they (APC) will suffer even more disgraceful de-feat in 2027’ it is like saying that Governor Oborevwori will suffer disgraceful defeat in 2027.
“Recall too that in November, Governor Oborevwori had dissociated himself from a scathing criticism of President Bola Tinubu by his Executive Assistant on New Media, Mr Felix Ofou. Remember that the Governor, in distancing himself from Ofou, urged Deltans to support the President as his (Tinubu) failure also meant his failure,” the source added.
