Says PDP not part of Anti-Tinubu coalition
PDP leaders, not Wike, de-marketing party.
The embattled National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, has declared that he remains the bona fide national scribe of the party, and urged the leadership of the party to “do the right thing” to address the swirling crisis surrounding his position.
Anyanwu, who broke his lengthy silence on the leadership crisis bedevilling the party, told newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, that like most people, he is ready to make necessary sacrifices if the right thing was done. He noted that it is disappointing to see the party he loves plunged into an avoidable crisis because of the personal ambitions of a few.
Anyanwu said the current National Working Committee (NWC) members had just about five months to finish their tenure, and there is no need to set the party on fire for personal or selfish interest.
Calling on the NWC members to work together in unity, in the interest of the party, he said: “ We came here as a united family. It would be nice for us to go as a united family so that we can still meet tomorrow and say we are brothers, we served an organisation. Let nobody try to fragment the NWC,” Anyanwu said.
He insisted that he was on the side of the law and that he remained the party’s national secretary. “There is no vacancy in the office of the PDP national secretary,” Anyanwu insisted, saying that he did not resign his position when he went to contest the governorship election in 2023.
He revealed that he only wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that his deputy should act while he was on leave, which he did, pointing out that even if he was going to be removed, due process must be followed and that the position should remain in Imo.
“I was elected in October 2021 as the national secretary of this party. According to the zoning arrangement, it was zoned to the South and micro-zoned to South-East.
“Just like every other state in the southeast, it was zoned to Imo State. Every state in the southeast has a representative in the national working committee.
“For instance, the national deputy treasurer comes from Enugu State; the National Auditor from Anambra State, and the Deputy National Legal Adviser from Anambra State.
“So you can see that it is wickedness for anybody that wants to take something from Ebonyi State and put it in Anambra State when positions are evenly distributed.
“But assuming that I am no longer the national secretary, for instance, whoever will replace me must come from Imo State,’’ he said.
Besides, Anyanwu said that the southeast zone of the party could not recommend his removal because the office was not elected by only the zone but by the zones at the party’s national convention.
“I represent the nation, but it’s very disheartening that the governor of Enugu State insisted that this must go to Enugu State when Enugu already has somebody,’’ he said.
Anyanwu said that Ali Odefa, a former National Vice-Chairman (South) who they planned to replace him with, was no longer a PDP member.
He claimed that Odefa had been expelled from the party by his ward, affirmed by his local government, and then the state.
Anyanwu further stated that the decision was upheld by the judgment of a High Court, with an order of perpetual injunction restraining him (Odefa) from parading himself as a member or National Vice-Chairman of PDP.
He said that the court also permanently banned him from presiding over or even attending any PDP meeting. According to him, the judgment delivered on Jan. 26 in suit number FFC/AI /227/2024 has not been appealed.
Anyanwu also said that he could not do anything to destroy a party that gave him a platform to actualise his political ambition. He said that he had gone through psychological trauma, unnecessary blackmail, media blackmail, and insults because he did not want to talk.
Anyanwu, however, said that while he had been calm for peace to reign, he would not allow anybody to ridicule him or destroy the reputation he has built over the years.
“I will not give in to anybody trying to mess me up or mess up my career. It took me time to build my reputation. I’ve been a two-time local government chairman, two-term assembly member, went to the senate, ran for governor twice and now I am national secretary,’’ he said.
Anyanwu wondered how his office imperilled the ambitions of those who were bent on removing him before the end of his tenure, advising them to let sleeping dog lie.
“My position will end by December. Election is 2027. Primaries are 2026. I will not be there. So what would my position to them?,’’ he asked.
He accused some of the party leaders of instigating the crisis rocking the party.
“Each time they talk about people demarketing the party, all these PDP leaders who go on national television are the ones destroying the party. Instead of saying issues that can build the party, you are saying things that will destroy and demarket the party, and will now be accusing the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, because he’s my friend,’’ he said.
He admitted that Wike remained his friend and boss and that he would never deny him, no matter the level of intimidation.
Anyanwu dismissed Tuesday’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of PDP as a mere stakeholders’ meeting because he, as the party’s national secretary, was not there. He said “any decision taken there is an illegality because PDP is a party, an organisation, ruled by law, and we should respect our constitution’’ he said.
On the current discussion about coalition, Anyanwu said that PDP was not party to any coalition or merger. “PDP is the first party and the only party that retrieved power from the military. In every nook and cranny of this country, you will always find PDP.
“So we cannot (go into any coalition or merger). Rather, it is other parties that will subsume themselves into PDP,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it recognises Anyanwu as the National Secretary and the state leader of the party.
This was disclosed yesterday by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Lancelot Obiaku, after the meeting of the State Working Committee (SWC) held at the state secretariat, Okigwe Road, Owerri.
Accompanied by the State Secretary, Jerry Ogoke, the women leader, Edith Nwachi, the Organising Secretary, Amb Felix Nwosu, among others, Obiaku maintained that persons parading as interim executive council members of the party in the state, based on the pronouncement of a federal legislator, are committing an illegality.
He warned them to desist because the current state executive was a product of the 2024 ward, local council, and state congresses.