The National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), has called on the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and the National Working Committee (NWC) to swiftly swear in Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary. This advice was presented in an internal memo received by Damagum’s office on Monday.
Ajibade’s recommendation stems from the findings of the Saminu Turaki-led fact-finding committee, which was supported by the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT). In his memo, Ajibade underscored that both contenders for the position Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye had agreed to submit to the authority of the BoT panel and should, therefore, respect its decision.
This dispute over the National Secretary position began following a December 2024 ruling by the Appeal Court in Enugu, which favored Ude-Okoye. However, the conflict continued, culminating in an incident on January 28, when Anyanwu’s supporters forcibly removed Ude-Okoye from a BoT meeting. The situation intensified, and on January 31, the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Governor Bala Mohammed, intervened, endorsing the court’s ruling and recognizing Ude-Okoye as the legitimate National Secretary.
On February 6, Damagum formally sought Ajibade’s legal advice regarding the BoT’s recommendation. In his response on February 7, Ajibade reaffirmed Ude-Okoye’s appointment, urging the party to uphold the BoT’s decision.
“The contending parties voluntarily submitted to the authority of the Dr. Kabiru T. Turaki-led committee. A legal opinion has been provided after careful evaluation of the documents submitted by both parties, and this should be respected,” Ajibade stated.
He cautioned that disregarding the legal opinion could exacerbate internal divisions and undermine the BoT’s role as the moral compass of the party. Ajibade’s advice concluded with a firm recommendation that the parties honor the committee’s verdict, reinforcing his stance by adopting the legal opinion as his own.
The ongoing controversy over the National Secretary position traces back to the 2023 Imo State Governorship election, where Anyanwu was the party’s candidate. Anyanwu defended his dual role as both National Secretary and governorship candidate, asserting that the PDP Constitution allowed him to delegate his responsibilities without resigning. However, party stakeholders in the South East nominated Ude-Okoye, arguing that Anyanwu’s simultaneous candidacy and role as National Secretary violated party guidelines.
