The 2027 general election is, technically, two years away. All eyes appear to be on the former ruling party now in opposition -the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which has so far shown little, if any sign, that it has learned valuable lessons from its series of electoral defeats since 2015.
Political pundits are unanimous in their assessment of the party’s problems. There’s no denying the fact that its troubles are largely, if not totally, self-inflicted.
Existential crisis
It lost power in 2015 and has remained embroiled in internal strife.
While state chapters are grappling with local issues, the National Secretariat, which should serve as a mediator, is having an existential crisis, which if not properly handled, will guarantee the party’s permanent residence in opposition.
At the core of the party’s current travails is a struggle over the rightful occupant of the office of national secretary.
The occupant of this office is the engine room of the administrative arm of the party’s executive. Section 36 (1) of the PDP Constitution (As amended in 2017) stipulates among others that, “There shall be a National Secretary who shall be the Chief Administrative and Accounting Officer of the Party, whose functions shall be to (a) supervise the day-to-day activities of the party.”
Two persons: Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye are locked in a dispute over who is the rightful occupant.
Unbeknownst to many, behind these two are powerful party leaders and their foot soldiers.
The names of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who has contested for the presidency a record six times -three of which were on the PDP platform; and that of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, crop up each time this dispute is mentioned.
Atiku, Wike’s connection
Atiku, who is believed to still have his eyes fixed on a possible 2027 Presidential run and his supporters are believed to be behind Ude-Okoye’s claim.
Wike and his supporters on the other hand are believed to be behind the quest to ensure the status quo with Anyanwu as national secretary, remains.
Anyanwu’s trouble
Anyanwu’s trouble began from the day he decided to contest the governorship of his native Imo State.
Latching on to a lacuna in the party’s electoral guidelines, which did not explicitly state that he must resign to contest, he said, “I delegated my functions to my deputy in line with Section 36 (2) of our party constitution.”
However, while he was away, Udeh-Okoye severally presented himself to be sworn in by the Amb. Umar Damagum-led NWC to no avail.
He promptly went to an Enugu High Court and got a judgement to enforce his right to be sworn in.
In its judgement in suit number: E/882/2023, which has the PDP, its Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu listed as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively, the court held that: “The 2nd defendant (Damagum) is hereby ordered to recognize in all situations, for all purposes, and in every manner necessary, including swearing in, Hon. S.K.E Udeh-Okoye (the person recommended by the South-East Zonal Executive Committee of the 1st defendant (PDP) as the National Secretary of the 1st defendant to enable the said Hon. S.K.E Udeh Okoye to serve out the time left in the tenure for which the 3rd defendant was elected as National Secretary in 2021.”
A certified true copy of the judgment was signed by Akahalu C.J on 29th December, 2023.
Anyanwu appealed this judgment. In its judgment in suit no: CA/ E/ 23/ 2024, the Appellate Court dismissed the suit as lacking merit.
The court held that: “This Appeal is unmeritorious and it is accordingly dismissed. The judgement of the trial judge in suit number: E/882/2023 delivered on the 22nd Day of December, 2023 CORAM: Hon. Justice C.O Ajah, PhD is hereby affirmed. Parties should bear their respective costs.”
Bar. Ajanwachukwu Rose signed the certified true copy of the judgment on December 24, 2024.
Not satisfied, Anyanwu filed a motion for stay of execution of the Appeal Court judgement on January 2, 2025.
The Court in its wisdom adjourned the case till January 27, 2025 for hearing. It also said, “Accordingly, all parties are enjoined to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the motion on notice.”
The certified true copy of the court document was signed by Josephine Ekperobe for the Deputy Registrar.
Staying execution order
Anyanwu, who insists the law is on his side, said: “This whole thing started with the National Vice Chairman, South-East (Ali Odefa), who has now been removed by the court.
“He presided over a kangaroo meeting and misled the Enugu State Governor into believing I had violated the constitution.
“I obtained a Federal High Court judgment affirming my position and stating that my tenure remains valid until December 2025. Despite this, on December 20, the Appeal Court in Enugu ruled in favour of Ude-Okoye.
“We have since filed an appeal at the Supreme Court, and an interim stay of execution has been granted.”
No valid staying execution order — Anyanwu, Ologunagba
Udeh-Okoye, however, dismissed Anyanwu’s claims of having a valid stay of execution. Speaking in an interview, he said, “There is no stay of execution from any court.
The Appeal Court ruled that the status quo should be maintained. I assumed office on December 30, 2024, and I am the National Secretary of the PDP.
“Some individuals are attempting to destabilize the party, but I remain focused on serving without hostility or destruction.”
Speaking in a similar vein, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba affirmed Ude-Okoye’s position.
He declared: “The PDP is a party of law and order. The Enugu judgment has been complied with, and Ude-Okoye is the recognized National Secretary.
“There is no stay of execution. The status quo, as of now, is that Ude-Okoye remains the National Secretary.”
While all of this was going on, the party’s Governors at their monthly meeting in January, in Asaba, the Delta State capital, called on the NWC to swear in Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary citing the declarative judgments of both the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
In a communique read after the meeting, the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed said: ” The Forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the National Working Committee, NWC, on the position of the National Secretary, and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment; consequently, the Forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgment.”
The party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, led by Senator Adolphus Wabara followed suit. It set up a fact-finding panel to look at the issues.
A former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turakin SAN was given this task. After separate meetings with the two claimants and reviewing the court documents, the panel recommended that the NWC immediately swear in Udeh-Okoye as substantive National Secretary.
Upon receipt of the BoT recommendation, Damagum sent a memo to the party’s National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN, for his legal opinion on the matter. He too concurred with the Governors and the BoT.
Udeh-Okoye, while insisting that his position as PDP National Secretary is not in contention, said: “The Courts and relevant stakeholders of our great party have all stated the true position of things.
“We are aware of the enormous task ahead of us which is first to rebuild trust and unite our party. Nigerians are looking up to us and we will not fail them.”
PDP’ll bounce back — Ologbomdiyan
Former National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, has remained positive that the party, as always, will bounce back and reclaim its pride of place as Nigeria’s party of choice.
According to him, “the PDP is the only party in Nigeria today which has presence in every ward of the 774 local government areas of the 36 states of the federation. It has remained the only organic party. It has a structure and track record of performance in governance.
“Even the ruling party today cannot boast of PDP’s record of consistency. We are the only party that has kept its identity since creation.
“My only concern at the moment is that our acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum has refused to revert to his position as Deputy National Chairman (North) to allow the North-Central reclaim its National Chairmanship seat.
“This party is bigger than all of us and it has proven over the years that it can shake but it won’t break.”
How the party can re-invent itself —Political scientist
A senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Jos, Dr. Joseph Anuga, is of the opinion that the PDP needs a lot of introspection to reinvent itself.
He said: “The party has a lot of work to do if it is to bounce back into reckoning. It has to start with its messaging.
“What message is it sending to the larger society if it finds it difficult to respect its own rules?
“It started this power rotation thing. Why did it retain its ticket in the north when it was to go south?
“For 2027, it is an open secret that our elections are determined by internal and external factors.
“Remember in 2015, there was so much pressure on the Jonathan administration by the United States Government under the President Obama administration.
“For some not so clear reasons, Obama was more comfortable with the then opposition All Progressives Congress, APC. This coupled with local issues led to PDP’s defeat and whether this will repeat itself in 2027 remains to be seen.
