Battle For Supremacy: Tension Peaks In PDP as Supreme Court Verdict Looms!

The internal struggle for dominance within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has intensified following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, which significantly strengthened the position of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.

While Wike’s camp celebrates the verdict granting his loyalists control of the Rivers State House of Assembly, tensions are mounting within the PDP as party leaders anxiously await the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the National Secretary position.

The power tussle centers on Senator Samuel Anyanwu, a Wike loyalist, and Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye, who has the backing of the PDP Governors’ Forum and the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT). The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for March 10 to determine the validity of Anyanwu’s appeal against his removal, which was previously upheld by the Court of Appeal.

A major point of contention is the call by the PDP Governors’ Forum and the BoT for the National Working Committee (NWC), led by Acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Ilyas Damagum, to convene a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting by March 13. The last NEC meeting was held on April 18, 2024, with a planned October session postponed indefinitely. The renewed push for a March 13 meeting has reignited political tensions, especially with the National Secretary position still unresolved.

On February 6, 2025, the Supreme Court scheduled March 10 as the hearing date for Anyanwu’s appeal. His legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Ken Njemanze, argues that fraudulent documents were used to oust him and that the appellate court overstepped its jurisdiction in ruling on what he deems an internal party matter. He further asserts that the PDP’s constitution mandates a four-year single term for party officials, making his removal legally unfounded.

The PDP and its Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Ilya Damagum, have been named as respondents in the case.

Reports indicate that opposing power blocs within the party are counting on an unfavorable Supreme Court verdict against Anyanwu to push for Damagum’s removal at the anticipated NEC meeting.

A PDP Board of Trustees member, speaking anonymously, hinted at a looming shake-up, stating, “We are all watching the outcome of the March 10 ruling. If it goes as expected, we will seize the opportunity to remove both Damagum and Anyanwu and reset the party’s leadership.”