The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a dramatic turn on Wednesday as a leadership dispute over the party’s National Secretary position led to a heated physical altercation at the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting in Abuja.
The meeting, chaired by former Senate President Senator Adolphus Wabara, was meant to address key party issues, but tensions flared when two rival factions clashed over the contested role of National Secretary.
The scuffle broke out when Sunday Ude-Okoye, the PDP’s former National Youth Leader and a contender for the National Secretary position, arrived late at the meeting.
Although initially allowed in, he was later forcefully removed by suspected political thugs, an action that escalated into a heated confrontation.
His rival, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who previously held the National Secretary position before contesting the Imo governorship election, has been locked in a battle to reclaim the role despite a court ruling in favor of Ude-Okoye in December 2024.
Eyewitnesses reported that as Ude-Okoye entered the meeting, he greeted the officials but deliberately snubbed Anyanwu. Moments later, security personnel attempted to escort him out of the venue, triggering protests from his supporters, who accused the PDP leadership of bias.
The PDP’s South East caucus had earlier endorsed Ude-Okoye as the replacement for Anyanwu, following his loss in the Imo governorship race.
However, Anyanwu has continued to challenge the decision, securing a Stay of Execution while pursuing an appeal against the court ruling that upheld Ude-Okoye’s appointment.
The brawl at the BoT meeting is the latest evidence of the deep divisions within the opposition party, raising concerns about PDP’s internal stability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As of the time of filing this report, the meeting had gone into a closed-door session, with Ude-Okoye still protesting outside the PDP headquarters over what he described as “an orchestrated attempt to silence legitimate voices within the party.”
The incident underscored the growing factionalism within the PDP, which has struggled to maintain unity since its defeat in the 2023 presidential election. Analysts warn that if unresolved, the ongoing power struggle could further weaken the party’s chances of mounting a strong challenge in future elections.
With the National Secretary position still unresolved, all eyes are now on the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and the courts to determine the next steps in this escalating leadership crisis.