Over 1,000 groups within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have rallied behind Senator Samuel Anyanwu, reaffirming their support for him as the National Secretary of the party. This move comes amidst the ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP.
The PDP Youth Frontiers Network, representing progressive-minded youth groups within the party, made this known at a press briefing in Abuja to address the crisis.
They emphasised that Senator Anyanwu remains the legitimate National Secretary, and any attempt to remove him and replace him with Sunday Udeh-Okoye, Deputy National Secretary, is unacceptable.
In his address, national coordinator Hon. Henry Owolabi said PDP Governors’ Forum and the Board of Trustees (BoT) have overstepped their bounds by advising the National Working Committee (NWC) to swear in Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary.
This decision, Owolabi argue, is at variance with the party’s constitution and ignores the fact that Senator Anyanwu was elected at a convention.
The group also pointed out that Senator Anyanwu has appealed the judgment at the Supreme Court, and therefore, the status quo should be maintained pending the determination of the substantive application.
They warned against the influence of desperate power mongers, stating that the actions of the Governors’ Forum and the BoT are “illegal, deliberately mischievous, and uncomplimentary” to the party.
The group also threatened to mobilize their members and supporters to block judicial premises and take civil actions if the warning is ignored.
Owolabi added: “We consider it an imperative and dire need of the hour that, as a Party we must begin by building consensus and form once more a united, formidable and strong Party, striving to preserve the PDP as a veritable platform for good governance in Nigeria and not continue in the path of self-interest, self-distraught, myopic divisiveness and pristine bickering which has not helped us but has become viable and fertile ground for the opposition to hatch inroads and poach into us destroying our very fabrics.
“We, therefore, join our voices and affirm unequivocal, unflinching and unwavering support and loyalty of our organization and that of all party supporters to the ideals of the party and by extension to the office of the National Secretary.
“That Senator Anyanwu remains the National Secretary and the attempt to remove him and replace him with a judiciary-imposed secretary, without any Congress or legitimate procedural ratification of any organ of the party is hereby totally rejected.
“We warn all detractors and perpetrators and indeed the Judiciary to steer clear of the internal workings of our great party and henceforth refrain from issuing illegal, baseless, porous, judgments that lack legal foundation and are immoral.
“We are poised to mobilize all our members and teeming supporters to block all judicial premises and ensure civil actions that will lead to compliance with this warning if it is flaunted.”
