PDP Crisis: Why PDP’s BoT can’t sanction Anyawu’s resignation, Wike reveals

The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has stated that the Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP does not have the authority to decide who should hold the party's national secretary position.

Adolphus Wabara, the acting chair of the BoT, had called for Senator Samuel Anyanwu's resignation from the role of PDP's national secretary, citing his candidacy for the upcoming November 11th gubernatorial election in Imo State.

In response to Wabara's request, Wike expressed his disappointment with the former Senate President's letter to Iliya Damagun, the acting chair of the PDP, in which he referred to Emeka Ihedioha as the "former governor of Imo State."

As reported by The Cable, Wike wrote: “Your Excellency, permit me to observe with respect that the Board of Trustees (BOT) lack the moral authority to intervene on the issue of who occupies or should occupy the Office of the National Secretary of the Party.

“Secondly, the Ag. Chairman of the BOT is reminded that the issue of who occupies the position of National Secretary of the Party is beyond the BOT’s sphere of authority and influence."

Wike argued that the letter to Damagun should not identify Ihedioha as the former governor of Imo State, as the Supreme Court had invalidated his election.

The letter reads: “By the Supreme Court’s pronouncement, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was never elected Governor of Imo State and ought not to have been so copied,” the former governor of Rivers said.

“To do otherwise will amount to dressing him in borrowed robes, which will not do him and the Party any good.”

In April, Samuel Anyanwu emerged as the chosen candidate for the upcoming Imo State election on November 11th. During the election held in the state's capital, Owerri, he received 802 votes.

Notably, he became the sole candidate after the withdrawal of other contenders. Anyanwu is now set to face incumbent Hope Uzodimma, who is running for a second term.

Pre-election crisis in PDP

The ex-governor of Rivers State found himself at odds with his political party following a decision by the PDP's presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to select Ifeanyi Okowa, the former governor of Delta, as his running mate instead of him after the party's presidential primary in May 2022.

Wike and his allies at the time had strongly advocated for Iyorchia Ayu to step down from his role as national chair, citing concerns about regional representation since the former vice-president was from the northern part of the country.

Wike proposed this as a condition for achieving reconciliation within the party. However, this condition was turned down, forcing Wike not to extend his support to the PDP candidate during the presidential election.

During this crisis, Wike held several meetings with Tinubu and eventually became a member of Tinubu's cabinet.