PDP South East Leaders Insist on Anyanwu for National Secretary as Party Crisis Festers

The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new turn as leaders of the party from the South East zone have rejected moves to replace Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.

At a high-level meeting held in Enugu on Tuesday, influential PDP stakeholders from the region reaffirmed their unwavering support for Anyanwu, insisting that he remains the duly elected National Secretary of the party.

The leaders argued that his removal or replacement would violate the principles of equity and due process within the party’s constitution.

“The position of National Secretary was zoned to the South East, and Senator Anyanwu emerged through a democratic process. Any attempt to remove him unilaterally will not be accepted,” said Chief Emeka Ude, a former PDP National Vice Chairman (South East), who spoke on behalf of the group.

The crisis was triggered by ongoing efforts within the National Working Committee (NWC) to appoint a new secretary, citing Anyanwu’s purported resignation to contest the 2023 Imo governorship election.

However, the South East leaders argue that he never formally resigned from his position, and thus remains legally and politically entitled to the role.

Sources within the party hint that the push to remove Anyanwu may be driven by internal rivalries and shifting political alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Meanwhile, the PDP NWC is yet to release an official statement on the dispute, but analysts warn that the impasse could further fragment the party’s already fragile unity, especially in the South East zone, where it faces increasing competition from other parties.

As the crisis deepens, calls for reconciliation and adherence to internal democracy are growing louder among party loyalists and political observers nationwide.