The ongoing turmoil within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalated dramatically on Wednesday when a group of suspected thugs stormed the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, interrupting the 79th Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting.
The PDP has been grappling with a leadership dispute, primarily between Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Udey-Okoye, both of whom assert their claim to the position of National Secretary. Recent rulings from a High Court and the Court of Appeal in Enugu, dated December 20, 2024, and January 14, 2025, respectively, have favored Udey-Okoye, declaring him the rightful national secretary and removing Anyanwu from office. However, Anyanwu has secured a stay of execution from the Court of Appeal in Abuja, complicating the matter further.
The disturbance occurred shortly after the meeting commenced, when non-BoT members and journalists were requested to vacate the hall for a private session. As the closed-door discussions were set to begin, Udey-Okoye, the former National Youth Leader, was forcibly removed from the premises by individuals identified as political thugs, who argued that he was not entitled to attend the meeting.
Following this, the thugs, believed to be aligned with Anyanwu, took control of the hall, vocally declaring that Udey-Okoye would not be allowed to re-enter. This prompted Udey-Okoye’s supporters to rally at the entrance, confronting one of Anyanwu’s aides, who hastily retreated and shut the door behind him. Some thugs were also observed scaling the walls of the PDP national secretariat in support of their respective factions.
The situation escalated until law enforcement and security personnel intervened, employing pepper spray to restore order. Reports indicate that additional forces from the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the military have been deployed to the party’s secretariat to ensure stability.
The meeting, chaired by the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, alongside BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara, was still in progress at the time of this report, although Udey-Okoye remained absent from the proceedings.
