Politics
PDP Crisis Deepens as Anyanwu blocks dissolution of Akwa Ibom exco
Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has once more rejected the National Working Committee’s (NWC) move to disband the party’s Akwa Ibom State Executive Committee.
On Tuesday, the party, via its National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Debo Ologunagba, revealed the disbandment of the executive and appointed a 31-person interim committee to manage the state branch until further instructions.
The NWC specified that Igwat Umoren would lead the interim group, with Harrison Ekpo as vice-chair and Borono Bassey as secretary.
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Ologunagba declared: “The NWC calls on all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party in Akwa Ibom State to remain united and continue to work together for the progress of the Party”.
Just one day later, Anyanwu sent a letter on Wednesday to the executive’s chair, Mr. Aniekan Akpan, instructing him to disregard the alleged disbandment and maintain his position.
Anyanwu clarified: “For the purpose of clarity, that press release (by Ologunagba) should be discountenanced because there was no formal sitting of the National Working Committee (NWC) in which such decision was taken”.
Describing the alleged disbandment as “null and void and of no effect”, Anyanwu emphasized that Ologunagba, in his role as National Publicity Secretary, lacks authority to act for the NWC without explicit instructions.
He affirmed: “The State Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State stands undissolved. Please, consider this letter as the rightful authority for you to continue in your duties as provided in the PDP Constitution, 2017 as amended”.
In Uyo, Akpan has similarly dismissed the NWC’s order as invalid and continues serving as state chair.
Akpan explained to reporters: “We have it on good authority that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party that claimed to have dissolved the state executive council did not convene any formal meeting to take such a decision. The National Secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu, has issued a press release and conveyed a letter to us showing that there was no such meeting and affirming that no formal NWC meeting was held to dissolve the state executives of the party in Akwa Ibom”.
Tribune Online noted that this conflict mirrors an earlier incident last week, when National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the NWC’s plan to delay state congresses in Cross River, Plateau, and Kebbi States following consultations.
Anyanwu promptly contacted INEC, advising it to overlook Damagum’s communication since the congresses set for Saturday, September 27, would proceed as planned.
The Cross River congress did occur, electing Mr. Venatius Ikem as state chair, but on Monday, September 28, the NWC rejected the event, labeling it a “carnival.”
Investigations reveal that the PDP sought to reorganize its Akwa Ibom structure after Governor Umo Eno switched to the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), aiming to sever his links with the state executive.
Akpan, supported by prominent party figures in Abuja, refuses to step down.
Previously, in a leaked recording, Governor Eno expressed plans to collaborate with both PDP and APC frameworks in the state to promote unity.
Eno stated: “As a matter of fact, contrary to some insinuations, I want to run both parties (APC and PDP)? Far from it. And what is wrong with being interested? We would not leave the PDP for thieves to hijack and use it against us. If anybody thinks we are going to do that, they have something coming. We will lead the structure of the party (PDP) so that they can work together (with APC). So that people don’t come from outside and think that Mr Eno has moved, let me come and hijack the party. Let the structure of the party remain. They have done their congresses. That’s my position,” the governor had revealed.
After multiple failed bids to rejoin, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan participated in Tuesday’s Senate proceedings, ending her six-month exclusion.
Her suspension in March stemmed from claims of breaching Senate protocols, drawing varied responses.
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Advocacy groups and rival politicians decried the move, while the Senate upheld it.
The PDP member sought judicial review in July and tried resuming without success.
With the case ongoing, she completed her penalty in September and signaled her plan to resume duties.
She notified the Senate of her intent, but officials noted they would wait for court resolution before acting.
On September 23, after half a year sealed, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s workspace was unlocked, allowing her entry.
She accessed Suite 2.05 in the Senate Wing, opened by Deputy Director Alabi Adedeji of the Sergeant-at-Arms.
“For me, I am glad to be here,” she said in her office for the first time in six months.
“Even though we had been illegally suspended, no day have I hesitated in effectively carrying out my duties as the senator of Kogi Central to the very best of my capacity,” she said.
Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, asserted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) aims to oust the Labour Party’s control in Abia State by the 2027 elections.
Kalu shared this prediction while addressing more than 27 supporter organizations linked to his Ben Kalu Foundation, such as the President’s Renewed Hope Initiative, Renewed Hope Partners, and the Ben Kalu Movement.
He explained that the APC is gaining significant traction to regain the state from Governor Alex Otti’s Labour Party administration.
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“We have come to take over, and there is no going back because we want to work with the President to move our state forward,” Kalu said.
Kalu commended President Bola Tinubu’s policy changes, especially the elimination of the fuel subsidy, calling it a “miracle decision” that has boosted funding for state-level governments. “The miracle worker is the President who releases money to the states… He did not keep it in his pocket but released it to the states,” the lawmaker added.
As the representative for Bende Federal Constituency, Kalu faulted Governor Otti’s governance, noting that Abia’s current allocations surpass those handled by previous leaders.
“You cannot be getting the kind of money you are getting and be doing the job that former governors did with less. Former governors got about N4 billion to N5 billion, and today Tinubu has released N38 billion to N40 billion,” he said.
Kalu promised that the APC would secure the state via electoral processes, without any forceful methods. “We are not going to take over this state by force. We are going to use the vote of the masses,” he stated.
He also revealed that President Tinubu committed to developing a seaport initiative for Abia and would make a visit upon request.
Additionally, Kalu encouraged his backers to obtain their voter registration cards and APC membership documents ahead of the 2027 polls.
Pastor Tunde Bakare, founder of Citadel Global Community Church, revealed that influential political actors are pushing him to affiliate with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
During his address on Saturday at the inaugural Citadel School of Governance Dialogue Series, themed ‘Nigeria at 65: Historical Reflections, Futuristic Projection,’ held in Oregun, Lagos, Bakare firmly rejected any involvement with the party.
He explained that prominent individuals, such as a former South-West governor and a minister, had personally encouraged him to support the ADC.
“There has been a lot of pressure on me from who is who to join ADC. They come to my home. Even while I was abroad, the hierarchy of that party kept calling, saying they needed my voice,” Bakare said.
He mentioned that a younger ally, who had gained significant positions within the All Progressives Congress (APC), also pressed him to extend his support to the ADC.
Bakare turned down the proposal, stating, “I am not going to take part in ADC. The last time I knew about ADC was about a plane that crashed. I wish them well, because we need a robust opposition. But you don’t birth a child called APC and then try to kill it yourself. We are not going to have another Awolowo–Akintola crisis in the South-West,” he stated.
As a key figure in establishing the APC, the pastor affirmed that President Bola Tinubu’s rise to power was guided by higher forces.
“If God wants to remove ‘emilokan,’ He knows how to do it. You can’t get the kind of thing Tinubu has brought without God’s support,” he added.
At the same gathering, Professor Akinjide Osuntokun, a former Nigerian envoy to Germany and the featured speaker, highlighted corruption and ethnic divisions as the nation’s most pressing issues.
He contended that a leader’s background is irrelevant if effective administration yields positive outcomes.
“The two problems our country faces are corruption and tribalism. If there is a way of eradicating these two evils, we will be alright. Corruption is the father or mother of tribalism. If the money being stolen was available for development, Nigeria would be far better.
“The fact that Tinubu is president does not automatically improve the life of an average Yoruba man, just as an Igbo presidency will not improve the life of the ordinary Igbo man if there is no development.”
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