PDP Youth Groups Back Anyanwu as National Secretary, Reject Ude-Okoye

Several youth groups within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have declared their support for Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary, rejecting moves to replace him with former PDP Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye.

The endorsement follows an ongoing leadership tussle between Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye over the National Secretary position.

The PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) recently backed Ude-Okoye during a meeting in Abuja, a decision that Anyanwu dismissed, arguing that the tenure of 80% of the BoT members involved had already expired.

“I’m a member of the BoT, I was not invited to the meeting, and neither was the National Chairman.

This says a lot. In any case, the tenure of about 80 percent of those at the meeting expired in October last year,” Anyanwu stated.

He also noted that the matter is already in court, insisting that the BoT’s decision is merely advisory and holds no binding effect.

PDP Youth Groups Reject Ude-Okoye’s Appointment

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, the PDP Youth Frontiers Network—an umbrella body of PDP youth groups—warned that any attempt to remove Anyanwu would not be accepted.

The group’s National Coordinator, Henry Owolabi, accused the PDP Governors’ Forum and the BoT of overstepping their bounds by recommending Ude-Okoye’s swearing-in as National Secretary.

According to Owolabi, the move contradicts the PDP constitution and disregards the fact that Anyanwu was duly elected at a convention.

He further emphasized that Anyanwu has appealed the ruling at the Supreme Court, meaning the status quo should be maintained until the court delivers its final judgment.

The youth groups also condemned what they described as interference by “desperate power mongers,” labeling the BoT and Governors’ Forum’s actions as “illegal, mischievous, and detrimental” to the party.

Threats of Civil Action

Owolabi warned that if the decision to replace Anyanwu is enforced, PDP youth groups would mobilize their members to block judicial premises and take civil actions.

“We consider it imperative that our party must build unity and strength rather than allowing self-interest, division, and internal conflicts to weaken us.

Senator Anyanwu remains the National Secretary, and any attempt to impose a judiciary-backed secretary without proper Congress or ratification is completely rejected,” Owolabi said.

He further cautioned the judiciary against interfering in the internal affairs of the PDP, warning that any “illegal and baseless judgments” would not be tolerated.

“We are poised to mobilize all our members and teeming supporters to block all judicial premises and ensure civil actions that will lead to compliance with this warning if it is flouted,” he added.