Babatunji Wusu –
Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has chastised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) for requesting the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, to leave.
Anyanwu was chosen as the PDP’s governorship candidate in Imo state’s November 11 election.
Following his election as the PDP candidate in April, several party members demanded that Anyanwu resign as national secretary.
However, the PDP national leadership stated on Friday that Anyanwu remains the party’s national secretary and governorship candidate in Imo.
However, in a letter dated October 12, issued to the acting PDP National Chairman, Iliya Damagun, the BoT stated that Anyanwu’s holding two positions violates the requirements of the party’s constitution.
In a letter to the BoT interim Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Wike claimed the party organ does not have the ability to decide who can hold the position of national secretary.
He said that the BoT was powerless to interfere in the crises that plagued the party in the run-up to the 2023 General Elections, when some party leaders openly violated the party’s constitution.
Wike was also disappointed that the former Senate President referred to Emeka Ihedioha as the “former governor of Imo state” in his letter to the PDP interim Chairman.
“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,” Wike said in his reply to Wabara, as reported by TheCable, a news outlet.
“This is especially true given that the BOT was unable to use its good offices as the Party’s conscience to intervene in the crises that engulfed the Party in the run-up to the 2023 General Elections, when Officers of the Party flagrantly violated the Party’s Constitution.”
“Secondly, the Ag. Chairman of the BOT is reminded that the appointment of the Party’s National Secretary is outside the BOT’s sphere of authority and influence.”
“Indeed, if and when a vacancy occurs, the responsibility of deciding who and how the vacancy will be filled is that of the entire Southern States to which the position was zoned and not only the South East geopolitical, as your letter under reference appears to be suggesting.”
Wike stated that the BoT was incorrect in referring to Ihedioha as the former governor of Imo state because his election had been declared invalid by the Supreme Court.
“According to the Supreme Court’s ruling, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was never elected Governor of Imo State and should not have been copied,” he added.
“To do otherwise will amount to dressing him in borrowed robes, which will not do him and the Party any good.”
