Samuel Anyanwu, the embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has insisted that he remains the legitimate holder of the office, despite recent legal battles and internal disputes.

The crisis began when both Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye laid claim to the position of National Secretary. The conflict escalated after the Court of Appeal ruled in December 2024 that Ude-Okoye should replace Anyanwu.

The PDP’s southeast zonal executive had earlier nominated Ude-Okoye for the role, following Anyanwu’s emergence as the party’s gubernatorial candidate in Imo State in 2023. However, Anyanwu obtained multiple court orders to block his removal.

The situation took a turn on December 20, 2024, when the Appeal Court dismissed these injunctions, calling them “lacking in merit.” After this ruling, Ude-Okoye began presenting himself as the National Secretary of the PDP.

In a recent interview on the program Nigeria Right Now, Anyanwu stated that he had already appealed the court’s decision and filed for a stay of execution at the Supreme Court.

“As of today, I’m still the National Secretary of PDP,” Anyanwu declared. “The Appeal Court judgment affirmed a previous ruling from a state high court. However, a federal high court in Abuja had earlier confirmed that my position, as elected by convention, is valid until December 9, 2025.”

The leadership crisis within the PDP continues to raise questions about the party’s internal processes and legal battles, highlighting the challenges it faces ahead of future elections.