.As Anyanwu, Okoye trade words at PDP BoT meeting in Abuja
…Atiku confronts APC over allegation of desperation
From Cyril Mbah Abuja.
Acting National Chairman of the crises-riddled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Iliya Damagum, has declared that some unscrupulous selfish PDP leaders are deliberately funding the crisis which has divided it’s National Working Committee (NWC) for several years.
Addressing the opening session of the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting at the PDP National Secretariat on Wednesday, Amb. Damagum accused the unnamed leaders of actively frustrating and interfering in the party’s internal affairs by dictating and controlling the actions of notable NWC members.
The embattled national chairman expressed frustration over the interference of the leaders but hoped that they would see reason to stop doing so pointing out that no right thinking leader would tolerate outside meddling and expect to succeed.
Although, Amb. Damagum dismissed the situation and described it as part of politics, he hoped for a more conducive period when peace will return to the PDP pointing out that unresolved leadership challenges can cripple political parties when members refuse to accept peaceful resolution of disputes and misunderstandings.
He urged party leaders nursing personal ambitions to exercise caution and tame their expectations warning that it would be counter- productive to allow such private ambitions to undermine the party, which is the collective political platform of all members.
Damagum assured the BoT that the NWC has been tirelessly working to convene the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for February this year adding that all things being equal, the meeting will not be postponed again.
The BoT Chairman and ex-Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, in a brief remark, emphasized the importance of holding the NEC meeting as scheduled.
He expressed concern over the absence of visible preparations for the NEC meeting and wondered whether the hope of members will not be dashed again like it was done on three occasions
.As Anyanwu, Okoye trade words at PDP BoT meeting in Abuja
Meanwhile, delegates to the long-awaited meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were thrown into temporary confusion Wednesday and became instant peace makers when two top members of the party engaged in angry verbal brawl over who should occupy the seat of national secretary.
The mild drama was enacted at the National Headquarters of the PDP by Sen. Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye, who are fighting for the position of National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
While Anyanwu has been the National Secretary of the party, he contested the last governorship election for the party in Imo State and returned to continue as scribe, forcing some members to approach the court seeking, in accordance with PDP constitution, that Anyanwu should be compelled to step down as a member of the National Working Committee.
The Wednesday meeting presided over by the BoT Chairman and one-time Senate President, Chief Adolphus Wabara prevailed on Ude-Okoye to leave the Wadata House venue of the meeting and was led away to his car by security agents.
It was gathered that Anyanwu, sensing a likely confrontation at the meeting, arrived first and sat in the conference hall from the start, while Ude-Okoye, a former National Youth leader who was nominated by PDP South East zone to replace Anyanwu arrived at about 12 noon to meet the seat of the national secretary already occupied.
Southeast PDP members have long insisted that Anyanwu should no longer hold the position of national secretary following his selection as the Imo PDP Governorship candidate.
The Appeal Court in Enugu upheld Ude-Okoye as the PDP National Secretary and the decision was formally communicated to the party leadership on December 24, 2024.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, the Court of Appeal in Abuja had issued a restraining order against Ude-Okoye soon after the judgment and also directed Anyanwu to remain as National Secretary until the Supreme Court resolves the appeal he filed against the Enugu Appeal Court ruling.
Meanwhile, the numerous leadership problems in the PDP may continue indefinitely as Sen. Anyanwu has insisted on completing his tenure as the only validly elected national secretary.
Anyanwu told a caucus meeting of Southeast PDP that in line with the constitution of the party, he never resigned from his position when he contested for the governor of Imo state in the 2023 election, adding also that the matter was resolved in his favour by courts of competent jurisdiction and he will remain in office untill the party holds its convention on December 9, 2025.
…Atiku confronts APC over allegation of desperation
In another development,On the 27th of January, the Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development convened a distinguished gathering of civil society organizations for a two-day national conference. This event was intended to offer a platform for deep and critical reflection on Nigeria’s democracy and the pressing question of its sustainability.
It was meant to be a moment of intellectual engagement, an opportunity for civil society to collaborate with political leaders in the pursuit of solutions to reinforce and elevate democracy in Nigeria.
Among those invited to participate was Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria, a man whose reputation for statesmanship and deep understanding of the political landscape made him a key figure in the discourse.
During the course of the discussions, Atiku voiced his profound concern regarding the APC’s growing monopoly on power, warning that the party’s actions were steadily eroding the pluralism essential to a true democracy. He accused the ruling party of undermining the autonomy of opposition factions, casting a dark shadow over the future of Nigeria’s democratic integrity.
Rather than engage in a substantive dialogue to explore these critical issues, the APC, led by President Bola Tinubu, chose to descend into the depths of petty personal attacks against Atiku Abubakar. This was not a mere lapse in decorum, but a repeated symptom of a party gripped by paranoia and struggling under the weight of its own tarnished credibility.
If there is any political figure in Nigeria who truly embodies the essence of desperation, it is none other than President Tinubu himself. Through his unchecked actions, he continues to blur the line between state power and personal ambition, magnifying his control over both the nation and its institutions.
The fact that the APC has become a mere extension of Tinubu’s will is a matter of little consequence. What truly alarms political observers — both inside and outside the APC — is the president’s calculated and insidious strategies to systematically cripple any form of social or political opposition. These actions, which Atiku rightfully warns against, are a direct threat to the future of Nigeria’s democracy.
It is an irony most bitter that a man who once rose to prominence on the back of civil activism and the call for democratic renewal has now found himself in opposition to the very ideals that birthed his political career. This shift from proponent to adversary of multi-party democracy is both tragic and dangerous.
Atiku’s prophetic warnings have already begun to manifest. He was among the first to call attention to President Tinubu’s plans to populate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with members of his own political party, the APC. Today, the nation bears witness to this very scheme unfolding before our eyes.
Atiku also raised alarm over the president’s blatant conflict of interest, particularly with regard to the awarding of lucrative contracts to companies with direct ties to his family. He cautioned the nation against the authoritarian tendencies of the Tinubu administration, warning that it sought to suppress fundamental human rights by charging protesters with treason — a tactic eerily reminiscent of repressive regimes of the past.
These warnings, though dismissed by some at the time, have proved prescient as each one materializes into a clear pattern of authoritarian behaviour by the current administration.
Now, the opposition parties find themselves fighting for survival, infiltrated by fifth columnists who have been planted within their ranks, ensuring that no party— whether APC or opposition — remains capable of functioning independently of the president’s whims.
Moreover, the Tinubu administration continues to consolidate its power by packing the Independent National Electoral Commission with loyalists, further hollowing out the institution’s independence and integrity.
Therefore, it is with a heavy heart and a sharp admonition that we urge the ruling party to stand before the mirror and gaze upon the true face of desperation — a face that mirrors their own actions and ambitions.
