Why Chaos Erupted at PDP BoT Meeting: The Untold Power Struggle | READ DETAILS

A physical altercation broke out at the Peoples Democratic Party headquarters during the PDP BoT meeting as a leadership struggle over the party’s national secretary position escalated into chaos. Supporters of rival claimants Sunday Ude-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu clashed, forcing security intervention. Get the full details.

A dramatic clash erupted at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja on Wednesday, as party members engaged in a heated confrontation during a Board of Trustees  PDP (BoT) meeting. The brawl stemmed from a lingering leadership dispute over the position of the party’s national secretary, pitting two contenders—Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye—against each other.

The altercation began when Ude-Okoye, who claims to be the rightful PDP national secretary, was denied entry into the PDP BoT meeting. Eyewitnesses reported that Ude-Okoye attempted to force his way in but was physically blocked by Emmanuel Okoronkwo, a party protocol officer and close aide to Anyanwu.

The situation quickly escalated as Ude-Okoye’s supporters stormed the party’s secretariat, scaling fences and overpowering security personnel in an attempt to force their leader into the meeting room.

The PDP has been entangled in an intense power struggle following the December 2024 Court of Appeal ruling that declared Ude-Okoye as the legitimate national secretary. The ruling overturned a high court judgment that had upheld Anyanwu’s continued stay in office.

Ude-Okoye’s claim to the position is backed by the PDP’s South-East Zonal Executive Committee, which nominated him to replace Anyanwu after the latter emerged as the party’s governorship candidate in the 2023 Imo State election.

However, Anyanwu, who insists he remains the national secretary, filed an appeal at the Supreme Court alongside a stay of execution order, effectively challenging Ude-Okoye’s legitimacy.

As tensions spiraled out of control, security operatives, including police and military personnel, were deployed to restore order. Officers were seen patrolling the party headquarters in armored vehicles as reinforcements arrived to prevent further escalation.

The meeting was attended by PDP BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara and Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, who both watched as the crisis unfolded.

As of now, Ude-Okoye and his supporters remain outside the PDP BoT meeting hall, demanding his rightful place at the table. The PDP leadership, already battling internal divisions, faces the urgent task of resolving this crisis before it further destabilizes the party.