A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State, Muhammad Sani Gambo, has called on the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to intervene in the crisis rocking the state chapter. Gambo, who was the first runner-up in the last state congress of the PDP in Kogi State, pleaded with the NWC to swear him in as the state chairman of the party.
Gambo’s plea comes on the heels of a court order disqualifying Enemona Anyebe, the current chairman of the party in the state. Speaking at a press conference in Lokoja, Gambo described Anyebe as an impostor and called on security agencies to arrest him for parading himself as the chairman of the party.
“The crude manner jointly masterminded by Hon. Enemona Anyebe and his sponsors to take over, through military style, the leadership of the PDP in Kogi State leaves much to be desired,” Gambo noted. He added that the development is worrisome, especially at a time when the PDP is expected to provide a viable opposition to the ruling party.
Gambo emphasized the need for the principles of fairness, justice, and equity to reflect in the conduct and activities of the party. He pointed out that the last PDP State Congress in Kogi State was free and fair, but the outcome was not accepted by all the contestants, especially with regards to the office of the state chairman.
According to Gambo, a court order barred Anyebe from contesting and presenting himself for screening, but he was still allowed to preside over the affairs of the party in the state. “We are worried that Hon. Enemona Anyebe, the purported state chairman who was suspended first by the party by his local government executives, a suspension that was affirmed by the state executives in 2019 and again by his ward’s executives in 2024, all on account of anti-party, was again affirmed by a court ruling that supported the various suspensions, now presides over the affairs of our party in the state,” Gambo alleged.
Gambo wondered how Anyebe could have become the state party chairman when the nomination form that was sold to him to contest as chairman was withdrawn by a court order. He called on the NWC of the party to intervene and prevent the party from running into trouble waters.
In his words, “We, therefore, call on the National Working Committee of the party, particularly the Acting National Chairman, the Secretary, the Organising Secretary, and the Legal Adviser, to do the needful to prevent the party from running into trouble waters.”
Efforts to get Anyebe’s reaction to the allegations proved abortive, as he promised to get back to the correspondent later but had not done so as of the time of writing this report.
The crisis in the Kogi State chapter of the PDP is a reflection of the deeper issues facing the party at the national level. The party has been grappling with internal conflicts and power struggles, which have affected its ability to provide a viable opposition to the ruling party.
As the 2027 general elections approach, the PDP needs to put its house in order and resolve its internal conflicts. The party’s ability to do so will determine its chances of winning the elections.
The NWC of the PDP has a crucial role to play in resolving the crisis in the Kogi State chapter of the party. The committee must act swiftly to address the issues raised by Gambo and ensure that the party is united and strong ahead of the 2027 elections.
The crisis in the Kogi State chapter of the PDP is a wake-up call for the party’s leadership to take urgent action to address the internal conflicts and power struggles that are threatening to tear the party apart.
