The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new turn with the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, throwing his weight behind Sunday Udeh-Okoye to replace Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.
Ajibade’s endorsement of Udeh-Okoye has further divided the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), with some members backing the Legal Adviser’s position while others have expressed opposition.
In a memorandum to the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, Ajibade justified the Board of Trustees’ (BoT) decision to recommend Udeh-Okoye for the position. He argued that the BoT’s resolution was justified and that Anyanwu deserved to be replaced.
The development has sparked a heated debate within the party, with some members hailing Ajibade’s endorsement as a bold move to strengthen the party’s leadership. Others, however, have condemned the Legal Adviser’s position, describing it as a betrayal of the party’s constitution.
A former member of the PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has warned that the crisis could have far-reaching consequences for the party, particularly with the 2027 general election looming.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed concern that the party’s leadership crisis could lead to mass defections to other parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Ajibade’s endorsement of Udeh-Okoye has also been criticised by the party’s Southeast Zonal Legal Adviser, Ukpai Ukairo, who described the BoT’s resolution as “an accursed document.”.
Ukairo argued that the BoT’s decision was “porous, illegal, and lacking foundation in law and morality.”. He also questioned the legitimacy of the BoT’s meeting, which was held in a hotel rather than the party’s national secretariat.
