Tensions boiled over at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday as a violent altercation erupted over the party’s embattled national secretary position.
The fracas unfolded during a crucial Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting in Abuja, where party chieftain Sunday Ude-Okoye was denied access, escalating an already heated leadership crisis.
For months, the PDP has been caught in a fierce power struggle between Samuel Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye, both claiming the role of national secretary. The controversy stems from Anyanwu’s 2023 governorship bid in Imo State, which led the party’s South-East Zonal Executive Committee to nominate Ude-Okoye as his replacement.
However, Anyanwu secured multiple court injunctions to retain his position.
The situation took a dramatic turn in December 2024, when the Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Ude-Okoye, dismissing Anyanwu’s legal maneuvers as “lacking in merit.”
Emboldened by the judgment, Ude-Okoye assumed the title of national secretary, despite Anyanwu filing an appeal and seeking a stay of execution at the Supreme Court.
The dispute reached a breaking point on Wednesday. Anyanwu was already seated at the BoT meeting when Ude-Okoye arrived, only to be blocked by Emmanuel Okoronkwo, a party protocol officer and staunch Anyanwu loyalist. Determined not to be sidelined, Ude-Okoye attempted to force his way in, sparking a confrontation that quickly turned physical.
His supporters, refusing to be deterred, took matters into their own hands—scaling the fence of the PDP headquarters and overpowering security personnel. The commotion sent party officials scrambling as security forces struggled to regain control.
Among those witnessing the spectacle were PDP BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara and the party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum. As the clash intensified, police and military units were deployed to fortify the premises, their vans patrolling the area to prevent further escalation.
As of now, Ude-Okoye remains outside the BoT meeting hall with his supporters, while Anyanwu continues to hold his ground inside. The battle for the PDP national secretary position has turned into a high-stakes political showdown—one that could shape the future of the opposition party ahead of the 2027 elections.
With tensions still high and the courts yet to deliver a final verdict, the PDP finds itself at a crossroads: resolve its internal strife or risk deepening the fractures that threaten its stability.