Politics
National Secretary: Southeast PDP Stakeholders Uphold Anyanwu
By Gideon Ayeni
![](https://gwg.ng/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG-20250129-WA0005.jpg)
Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the South East zone have upheld the brief of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s national secretary.
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP stakeholders from the Southeast have endorsed the Court of Appeal order for a stay of execution on the judgment removing Senator Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary of the party.
The stakeholders who met in Abuja to review the developments in the party in a communique issued at the end of the meeting on January 28, 2025, the PDP leaders rejected the legitimacy of another stakeholders meeting in Enugu. The Abuja stakeholders at the end of the meeting described the meeting in Enugu as an unlawful assembly that failed to meet constitutional requirements.
According to the communique, the dispute began after the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) released a timetable for the South East Zonal Congress on October 9, 2024. However, on January 22, 2025, the Zonal Secretary, Hon. Chief James Ugwu, issued a notice for a Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) meeting in Enugu without an agenda. This move was met with resistance from several party leaders who questioned its legality.
A legal opinion provided by PDP South East Legal Adviser, Ukpai Ukairo Esq., stated that the meeting in Enugu was unconstitutional, as only the National Vice Chairman had the authority to summon such a gathering.
It was further deposed that given the claim that there is no National Vice Chairman currently in office, Ukairo argued that any decision made at the Enugu meeting would lack legal backing.
![](https://gwg.ng/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG-20250129-WA0006.jpg)
The declaration of the Enugu gathering as illegal was upon the claim that Chief Ali Odefa, had been removed as Naitonal Vice Chairman of the party for the Southeast and also expelled from the party and as such was not in position to summon a meeting.
GWG.ng reports that the Enugu meeting had gone ahead to recognize Hon. Ude Okoye as PDP National Secretary, disregarding a binding court order that upheld the position of Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
Upon the development, the PDP stakeholders in Abuja condemned the Enugu meeting as illegitimate, citing multiple violations of the PDP constitution. It argued that:
The meeting lacked a proper ZWC session preceding it, violating Article 27(7) of the PDP Constitution.
Chief/Dr. Ali Odefa, who played a central role in the gathering, had already been expelled from the party following a disciplinary process ratified by a Federal High Court ruling.
The zoning arrangements reportedly decided at the meeting were invalid due to the participation of members from Anambra and Ebonyi, whose congresses had been nullified by the courts.
Stakeholders further rejected the recognition of Ude Okoye as National Secretary, affirming that Senator Anyanwu remains the legitimate officeholder. They also called on PDP’s leadership to ensure that the South East Zonal Working Committee (ZWC) is properly constituted, endorsing Hon. Chidiebere Egwu Goodluck as a replacement for Odefa.
Additionally, the communique backed fresh congresses in Anambra and Ebonyi states, in line with a legal advisory from PDP’s National Legal Adviser, and reaffirmed confidence in Senator Anyanwu’s leadership.
Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us
And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG