Damagum’s Influence Threatened As Atiku, Wike’s Camp Continue Battle Over PDP National Secretary

Insiders have suggested that the influence the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, has weakened following the Supreme Court’s recent dismissal of a stay of execution sought by Samuel Anyanwu, who had been removed as National Secretary by an appellate court ruling.

Anyanwu, a key ally of Damagum, had played a significant role in running the PDP National Secretariat but lost his position following legal challenges.

His replacement, Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye, who enjoys the backing of the PDP Governors’ Forum and the Board of Trustees (BoT), is treading carefully due to ongoing legal issues.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on February 24, 2025, restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from removing Anyanwu as PDP National Secretary.

Legal and Political Uncertainty

Given the legal battles, Udeh-Okoye has avoided signing critical PDP documents, including those related to the forthcoming zonal congresses.

Despite this, his presence at the inauguration of the PDP South-South Caretaker Committee last Thursday signaled strong backing from party stakeholders.

Last week, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) convened in Abuja to discuss the long-postponed meeting of the party’s highest decision-making body, the NEC.

A party insider revealed that the agenda includes the possible invalidation of certain state congress results allegedly won by loyalists of Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, with Kogi State expected to be among the cases reviewed.

At the same time, the National Disciplinary Committee, headed by High Chief Tom Ikimi, a key ally of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has recommended the expulsion of Senator Anyanwu based on a petition filed by Hon. Nurudeen Afolabi Adekambi from Ogun State on behalf of a group called the Young Generation Caucus.

Due to the uncertainty surrounding the National Secretary position, most governorship aspirants for the upcoming Anambra election have held back from making formal declarations, fearing that the legal dispute may invalidate key processes.

A strong Wike loyalist in the House of Representatives dismissed ongoing efforts to diminish Wike’s political influence at the national level and in the South-South region.

He insisted that Anyanwu and other Wike allies were deliberately staying quiet for strategic reasons.

He said: “Several people, including Senator Anyanwu, are being quiet for strategic reasons, and we know that some people have to, at least, temporarily justify what they had been ‘mobilised’ to do.

“We know how some PDP governors mounted pressure on Damagum, pressure came from the only governor from the South East, one governor from the South West and the South-South governors who are demonstrating loyalty to one of them, Fubara, who may inevitably be on the way towards his impeachment hearing.

“Let them all enjoy it while it lasts but note that Udeh-Okoye, who acknowledged during Thursday’s inauguration of their South-South caretakers that he was at least a National Secretary for that day, will not dare sign any official PDP document going to INEC.

“Also, only two or three persons have bothered to pick PDP governorship nomination forms because the secretaryship tussle may invalidate them.”

He further asserted that Wike’s influence remains unshaken despite the current crisis.

The lawmaker added: “The Wike factor remains very strong in Rivers State. No caretaker committee can uproot it in the South-South, and at the national level, a Supreme Court judgment in favor of Anyanwu will send them back into their conspiracy enclaves.

“We know that they are trying to move fast because they know that Senator Anyanwu will likely prove them wrong at the Supreme Court very soon.”