Following the dramatic scenes at its recent meeting, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has decided to bar Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye from attending future BoT gatherings until the ongoing dispute over the party’s national secretary position is settled.
The decision was reached after a chaotic incident at the last BoT meeting, where a physical altercation erupted. The confrontation began when an aide to Senator Anyanwu tried to prevent Ude-Okoye from entering the meeting, despite his official invitation. Tensions have been high within the party due to the disagreement between the two over who should hold the crucial position of national secretary.
The national secretary of the PDP is a statutory member of the BoT, and the ongoing tussle between Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye has only deepened divisions within the party. The confrontation occurred at last week’s meeting at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja when Ude-Okoye was directed to sit at the high table, which sparked the heated exchange.
To address the crisis, the BoT has formed a committee led by Barr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), former Minister of Special Duties, to mediate between the two parties and provide a resolution for further action.
A source within the BoT, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the decision to suspend the two from attending future meetings was made in an effort to maintain order and prevent further disruptions. The source expressed the Board’s disappointment in how the situation unfolded but remains confident that the newly formed committee will resolve the matter amicably.
“The BoT was very disappointed with the way things played out. To avoid another incident, the Board has decided that both Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye will not be allowed to attend future meetings until the issue is fully resolved,” the source explained. “Though both seem unwilling to back down, we are hopeful the committee will come to a conclusion, and everyone will respect the BoT’s final decision.”
The dispute over the national secretary position stems from when Senator Anyanwu stepped down to run for the Imo State governorship election, which he ultimately lost.
After his departure, the South East zone nominated Ude-Okoye as his replacement, but Anyanwu contested this choice in court. The matter escalated, and while Anyanwu lost the case at the Appeal Court, the issue is now before the Supreme Court.
Further clarifications from the BoT source emphasized that Ude-Okoye was not at fault for attending the meeting without permission.
He had been officially invited and had received the approval of party leaders from his zone after being reaffirmed as the national secretary in Enugu State just a week before the Abuja meeting.
Another party leader also supported the BoT’s move, asserting that barring the two from further meetings was necessary to maintain order and avoid more disruptions within the party.