•Iliya Damagum
After months of speculation over his stance on the leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, has shifted ground, aligning with the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to confirm Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary.
This decision, reached during the NWC meeting this, marks a significant shift in the internal wrangling within the main opposition party, reports Nigerian Tribune.
Damagum, who had been perceived as the major backer of Senator Samuel Anyanwu’s claim to the position despite a Court of Appeal ruling nullifying his tenure, presented a memo to the NWC that led to Udeh-Okoye’s confirmation.
According to a statement by Debo Ologunagba, PDP National Publicity Secretary, the NWC, after extensively reviewing the memo, examined key legal documents, including the declaratory judgment of the High Court of Enugu, the ruling of the Court of Appeal, and legal opinions from Dr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) and the party’s National Legal Adviser.
Following these considerations, the NWC overwhelmingly endorsed and confirmed Udeh-Okoye as the PDP National Secretary in compliance with the Court of Appeal judgment, noting that there is no subsisting or superior court ruling contradicting the decision.
The party’s leadership also announced that it has begun transmitting its resolution affirming Udeh-Okoye to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant bodies for formal recognition.
The NWC commended party members and stakeholders for their commitment to upholding the rule of law and reaffirmed its commitment to the party’s constitution, operational guidelines, and democratic principles.
This development signals a decisive end to the leadership tussle and strengthens Udeh-Okoye’s position as the party’s duly recognized National Secretary.
The crisis over the National Secretary position of the PDP has been a protracted battle between Senator Anyanwu and Hon. Udeh-Okoye, both of whom laid claim to the office.
The controversy began following a series of conflicting court rulings and political maneuvering within the party. While Anyanwu, a former National Secretary, insisted on retaining the position, Udeh-Okoye secured judicial backing from the Enugu State High Court and the Court of Appeal in Enugu, which affirmed him as the rightful occupant of the office.
The dispute escalated, leading to interventions from key party organs. The PDP Governors Forum initially threw its weight behind Udeh-Okoye, prompting the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) to take a similar step to resolve the matter.
To achieve this, the BoT constituted a committee led by Dr. Tanimu Turaki (SAN) to examine the legal merits of both claims and make recommendations.
Both contenders were invited to submit certified documents and court judgments supporting their cases. While Udeh-Okoye presented rulings affirming his position, Anyanwu relied on an Abuja Court of Appeal order regarding a stay of execution.
After an extensive review, the Turaki-led committee ruled in favor of Udeh-Okoye, declaring his claim legally sound.
The BoT subsequently adopted the committee’s findings, formally recognising Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary.
However, concerns remained over whether the party’s leadership would enforce the decision, especially given speculations that the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, was sympathetic to Anyanwu.
To clarify the legal standing, Damagum sought the opinion of the PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamorudeen Ajibade (SAN), amid ongoing litigations.
Ajibade endorsed the Turaki committee’s report, affirming that its decision was consistent with legal precedents and the party’s constitution.
He warned that revisiting the matter would not only undermine the BoT’s authority but also escalate tensions within the PDP.
Following Ajibade’s legal opinion, the PDP NWC met and overwhelmingly confirmed Udeh-Okoye as the National Secretary.
It was unclear at the time of filing this report, whether despite this resolution Anyanwu’s camp may still explore further legal options, potentially prolonging the dispute.
