Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have taken a new stance on the party’s embattled national secretary position, following a recent Supreme Court ruling.
The governors had previously recognised Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s national secretary. However, the apex court last week reinstated Senator Samuel Anyanwu, setting aside judgments by the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal that had removed him from the post.
In its lead judgement, delivered by Justice Jamilu Tukur, the Supreme Court ruled that issues concerning party leadership and membership fall strictly within the internal affairs of political parties and are not justiciable in court.
Reacting to the judgment, the PDP Governors’ Forum has now resolved that the deputy national secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, should step in as acting secretary until the party formally resolves the matter.
“The forum will address its position taken in Asaba on the issue of the National Secretary of the party,” Bauchi State Governor and Forum chairman, Bala Mohammed, said on behalf of the governors.
“But in the wake of the Supreme Court judgment, the forum resolved to recommend that the Deputy National Secretary acts as National Secretary pending the nomination and ratification of a substantive National Secretary from the South East Zone at NEC at its next meeting,” he stated.
The leadership crisis over the PDP national secretary role began when Anyanwu vacated the position to contest the 2023 Imo State governorship election.
Following his electoral defeat, his attempt to reclaim the role sparked a power tussle within the party, culminating in the emergence of Ude-Okoye as a rival claimant.