Pat Stevens/
Tempers flared and chaos reigned at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat today as a violent confrontation disrupted a meeting of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT).
The drama unfolded when Sunday Ude-Okoye, a factional contender for the PDP national secretary position, was denied entry into the meeting.
Tensions boiled over as Ude-Okoye, backed by his loyalists, clashed with party officials loyal to Samuel Anyanwu, the current occupant of the position.
Ude-Okoye’s exclusion from the meeting comes amidst a bitter leadership crisis engulfing the PDP.
In December 2024, the Court of Appeal ruled in Ude-Okoye’s favor, declaring him the rightful national secretary following Anyanwu’s emergence as the party’s governorship candidate for Imo State in 2023.
However, Anyanwu swiftly appealed the decision and filed for a stay of execution at the Supreme Court, refusing to vacate the position.
The meeting turned chaotic when Ude-Okoye attempted to storm the hall but was blocked by Emmanuel Okoronkwo, a staunch ally of Anyanwu.
Enraged, Ude-Okoye’s supporters scaled the fence of the PDP secretariat, overpowering security personnel and forcing their way in.
Pandemonium broke out as party members and aides engaged in physical confrontations, leaving security personnel struggling to restore order.
The crisis highlights the deepening factional rift threatening to tear the PDP apart ahead of crucial political engagements.
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https://www.facebook.com/NewsMakersNGR/videos/1136921894733546/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
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