Anyanwu reveals relationship with Wike, gives reason ‘they want him out’ as PDP Secretary

Samuel Anyanwu, the embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has opened up about the internal conflicts within the party, claiming that his commitment to due process and his close relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have made him a target for removal.

In an interview, Anyanwu alleged that certain party leaders, particularly from the South-East, view him as an obstacle to their political ambitions, including efforts to seize control of the party’s structure.

“I was validly nominated and elected as National Secretary of this great party at a national convention, and our constitution clearly spells out how a person occupying positions in the National Working Committee can be replaced if the need arises,” he stated.

Addressing claims about his absence during the recent election period, he explained, “I took time off to contest for the governorship of my state, and the Deputy National Secretary acted while I was away. Our constitution gives me the power to delegate functions to my deputy.”

Anyanwu further alleged that while he was away campaigning, certain individuals went as far as forging documents to alter party guidelines illegally. “It was strange that while I was campaigning, some people went as far as forging documents by illegally altering our party guidelines and inserted a clause that is not in the original document to say I must resign. The police is investigating I won’t say much on that,” he added.

On his relationship with Wike, he remarked, “Everybody knows my relationship with (Chief Nyesom) Wike. We were local government chairmen and members of the PDP; I cannot deny him.”

Anyanwu also accused some PDP governors of collaborating with a faction of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) to advance personal agendas that, he claims, are detrimental to the party’s unity. He described the recommendation to swear in Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary following a Court of Appeal ruling as part of a larger “proxy war.”

The PDP has been grappling with internal divisions, particularly between factions loyal to Wike and those aligned with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The discord traces back to the aftermath of the party’s 2023 presidential primary, where Atiku emerged victorious over Wike, sparking tensions that were further fueled by political disputes in Rivers State between Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalaye Fubara.

Both Anyanwu and the PDP’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, are seen as allies of Wike, making them frequent targets of opposition within the party.

Despite mounting pressure, Anyanwu urged those pushing for his removal to exercise patience until the end of his tenure in December 2025, when the position will be up for contest at the party’s national convention.

Meanwhile, the PDP Governors Forum, during a meeting in Asaba, Delta State, endorsed Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary, citing an Enugu Court of Appeal judgment that affirmed his claim to the role. The BoT later backed this decision after reviewing the findings of a committee led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), which recommended Udeh-Okoye’s immediate swearing-in based on the court’s verdict.

(VANGUARD)