Why Some PDP Leaders Want Me Out – Anyanwu Says, Explains Relationship With Wike

The embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has provided insights into why certain party leaders are determined to remove him from office.

In an interview with Vanguard, Anyanwu attributed the pressure to his commitment to due process, respect for the rule of law, and his close relationship with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Anyanwu claimed that some PDP leaders from the South-East see him as an obstacle to their political ambitions, particularly in their quest to control the party structure.

He said: “I was validly nominated and elected as National Secretary of this great party at a national convention, and our constitution clearly spells out how a person occupying positions in the National Working Committee can be replaced if the need arises.

“I took time off to contest for the governorship of my state, and the Deputy National Secretary acted while I was away. Our constitution gives me the power to delegate functions to my deputy.

“It was strange that while I was campaigning, some people went as far as forging documents by illegally altering our party guidelines and inserted a clause that is not in the original document to say I must resign. The police is investigating, so I won’t say much on that.”

He further noted that his long-standing friendship with Wike, dating back to their days as local government chairmen in the PDP, has also made him a target.

“Everybody knows my relationship with (Chief Nyesom) Wike. We were local government chairmen and members of the PDP; I cannot deny him,” Anyanwu added.

Anyanwu accused some PDP governors and members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of working together to weaken the party for selfish reasons.

He described their endorsement of Sunday Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary, following a Court of Appeal ruling, as nothing more than “a proxy war.”

Anyanwu maintained that those seeking his removal should wait until his tenure expires in December 2025 and contest for the position during the next PDP national convention.

The PDP Governors Forum, during their monthly meeting in Asaba, Delta State, had declared support for Udeh-Okoye, basing their decision on an Enugu Court of Appeal judgment recognizing him as the rightful occupant of the position.

Shortly after, the BoT also backed Udeh-Okoye, adopting the findings of a committee led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), which recommended his immediate swearing-in.

The crisis within the PDP deepened following the party’s 2023 presidential primary, where former Vice President Atiku Abubakar defeated Nyesom Wike.

Feeling betrayed, Wike and four other governors distanced themselves from Atiku’s campaign, leading to a deep factional divide in the party.

Further complicating matters, Wike is also embroiled in a political battle with his successor, Rivers State Governor Siminalaye Fubara, causing additional tensions within PDP ranks.