ABUJA — The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has declared that he would only step down from his position if any serving PDP governor can publicly confirm that he accepted any form of inducement from them, including something as trivial as a bottle of water.
Anyanwu made the bold assertion during the PDP Southeast Zonal Meeting, amid growing pressure within the party’s leadership circle following his return to office after contesting the 2023 Imo State governorship election, which he lost.
“If Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu or any PDP governor can say I took even a bottle of water from them, I will resign immediately,” Anyanwu declared, dismissing claims that his position had been relinquished. “There is no force within this party strong enough to remove me unless the right process is followed,” he added.
The party’s internal crisis deepened after Anyanwu temporarily vacated his role in 2023 to focus on the Imo governorship election. During his absence, the PDP Southeast Caucus nominated Sunday Udeh-Okoye as his replacement. The nomination led to a protracted legal battle, culminating in a Supreme Court judgment that nullified the decisions of the lower courts which had previously declared Anyanwu’s removal valid. The apex court ruled that the matter was an internal affair of the party and beyond the jurisdiction of any court.
Despite the ruling, factional disputes persist within the PDP. Some stakeholders in the Southeast have maintained support for Udeh-Okoye, arguing that the zonal decision to replace Anyanwu should be upheld in the interest of regional balance and party cohesion.
Senator Osita Ngwu, the Senate Minority Whip, reinforced this sentiment at the meeting, calling for respect for the Southeast PDP’s collective stance. “The voice of the zone must count in the affairs of the party if we are to foster unity,” Ngwu said.
However, Anyanwu remains unshaken, stating that unless there is proof of wrongdoing or inducement, he will continue to perform his duties as National Secretary. “I am here not because of any court decision but because I was duly elected and have not violated any part of the party constitution,” he said.
The PDP leadership is expected to engage further consultations to resolve the matter amicably as the party positions itself for the 2027 general elections.
