February 10, 2025 – Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN, the National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has officially urged the National Working Committee (NWC) to promptly swear in Sunday Ude-Okoye, a former National Youth Leader, as the party’s National Secretary.
Ajibade’s request is outlined in an internal memo received by Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum on Monday. In the memo, which PUNCH Online has exclusively accessed, Ajibade expressed his complete endorsement of the findings from the Board of Trustees (BoT) panel, which has played a crucial role in addressing the party’s internal disputes.
He highlighted that both Ude-Okoye and Senator Samuel Anyanwu had voluntarily submitted to the BoT panel led by former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, and stressed the importance of honoring the panel’s conclusions to demonstrate integrity.
The PDP has been embroiled in significant internal challenges since before and after the 2023 elections, leading to instability and divisions within the party. Damagum has faced mounting criticism, especially after succeeding Iyorchia Ayu, as tensions surrounding the National Secretary position heightened. The South-East had nominated Ude-Okoye to replace Anyanwu, who was chosen for the Imo governorship.
On December 20, 2024, the Appeal Court ruled in favor of Ude-Okoye, affirming his position. However, disputes continued, notably when Anyanwu’s supporters forcibly removed Ude-Okoye from a BoT meeting on January 28, necessitating further intervention.
PDP governors, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, showed their support for Ude-Okoye on January 31 during a meeting in Asaba, Delta State, recognizing him as the rightful National Secretary. Despite this endorsement, Anyanwu rejected their support, filing petitions with the Inspector General of Police, the Supreme Court, and the Appeal Court, alleging that the governors worsened the crisis.
On Wednesday, the BoT, led by former Senate President Adulphus Wabara, officially recognized Ude-Okoye as the legitimate National Secretary after reviewing the situation. Following this decision, Damagum sent a memo on February 6 to the PDP National Legal Adviser, seeking legal guidance on adhering to the directives from both the governors and the BoT.
Ajibade’s response to Damagum’s memo, dated February 7 and received by the Acting National Chairman’s office on Monday, reaffirmed Ude-Okoye’s status as National Secretary. In his memo, Ajibade noted that the contending parties had willingly submitted to the authority of the committee led by Dr. Kabiru T. Turaki. He argued that calling for a review of the legal opinion would undermine the BoT’s efforts and exacerbate existing tensions within the party.
Ajibade concluded that the involved parties should respect the committee’s findings, as the legal advice was provided by a respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and was adopted by the BoT, which serves as the party’s moral compass.
