A fresh power tussle has erupted in the Peoples Democratic Party as zonal leaders move to expel National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu and take control of the party’s national secretariat. The plot, which gathered momentum over the weekend, follows months of internal wrangling over Anyanwu’s refusal to vacate office after emerging as PDP governorship candidate in Imo State in 2023, contrary to the party’s constitution.
Insiders say South East and South-South zonal leaders, backed by several members of the National Working Committee, met in Abuja to finalize a legal and political strategy for Anyanwu’s removal. They accuse him of running the secretariat as a “personal fiefdom” while holding onto the National Secretary position despite provisions that require office holders to resign before contesting elective positions. The group insists his continued stay is fueling factionalism and court cases that have weakened the PDP.
Anyanwu’s camp has dismissed the move as “illegal and driven by desperation,” arguing that only a national convention can remove an elected NWC member. His aides point to a series of conflicting court orders on the status of his office, maintaining that he remains the valid National Secretary until a properly convened NEC or convention decides otherwise. They accuse rival governors and presidential aspirants of sponsoring the zonal leaders to hijack the party structure ahead of 2027.
The zonal bloc pushing for expulsion is said to be aligning with former governors and current NWC members loyal to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s rivals. Their plan involves passing a vote of no confidence, declaring the seat vacant, and installing an acting secretary from the South East to “restore stability.” A memo circulating among stakeholders also proposes an early national convention to reconstitute the entire NWC.
With the PDP already battling defections and dwindling state control, the Anyanwu expulsion battle threatens to deepen its crisis. Party elders have called for intervention from the Board of Trustees to prevent another round of litigation that could cripple the opposition party before the next election cycle. For now, both camps are digging in, and the Wadata Plaza secretariat remains the prize in a takeover plot that could redefine PDP’s future.
