Politics

JUST IN: Legal Adviser Backs Ude-Okoye As PDP National Secretary

Published

11 months ago

February 10, 2025

The National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN, has asked the National Working Committee, of which he is a part, to immediately swear in a former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, as the National Secretary.

Ajibade, in an internal memo received by the office of the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on Monday, affirmed his full adoption of the Board of Trustees panel’s report.

In the memo, which was exclusively obtained by The PUNCH, Ajibade emphasised that since both Ude-Okoye and Senator Samuel Anyanwu had submitted themselves to the BoT panel chaired by former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, they should demonstrate the honour of accepting the panel’s findings.

The PDP has struggled with internal issues since before and after the 2023 elections, leading to instability and divisions.

Damagum has faced mounting criticism, especially after succeeding Iyorchia Ayu. Tensions over the National Secretary position intensified when the South East nominated Ude-Okoye to replace Anyanwu, who had been selected for the Imo governorship.

On December 20, 2024, the Appeal Court ruled in favour of Ude-Okoye, but conflict persisted. On January 28, Anyanwu’s supporters forcibly removed Ude-Okoye from a BoT meeting, prompting intervention.

PDP governors, led by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed on January 31 in Asaba, Delta state capital, endorsed the court’s decision, recognising Ude-Okoye as the rightful National Secretary.

However, Anyanwu rejected this, petitioning the IGP, Supreme Court, and Appeal Court, while accusing the governors of worsening the crisis.

On Wednesday, the BoT, led by former President of the Senate, Adulphus Wabara, adopted Ude-Okoye as the legitimate National Secretary after reviewing the case.

After receiving the BoT’s memo instructing the NWC to swear in Ude-Okoye as National Secretary, Damagum issued a memo on February 6 to the PDP National Legal Adviser, seeking advice on whether to follow the directive from the Governors and the BoT.

Damagum’s memo, titled “Legal Opinion with Regards to the Position of the National Secretary,” reads in part “Following series of litigation from different courts, kindly study all the submissions from the committees set up by the Governor’s Forum as well as that of the Board of Trustees with the view of coming up with your legal opinion to enable us to take an informed position.

“Please find enclosed a copy of the BOT legal opinion as forwarded by the Chairman.”

In response to Damagum’s memo, Ajibade issued a memo on February 7, received by the Acting National Chairman’s office on Monday, in which he also confirmed Ude-Okoye as the National Secretary.

PDP National Legal Adviser memo read in part, “The contending parties have voluntarily submitted to the authority of the Dr. Kabiru T. Turaki, SAN led committee and a legal opinion/advice having been proffered after evaluation of documents tendered by parties, calling for review of the said legal opinion/advise in my opinion is not only improper but will undermine the effort of the BOT and increase the already existing tension as well as worsen the volatility within the party which may be difficult to arrest.

“It is, therefore, my advice that the contending parties have willingly submitted themselves to the authority of the committee led by Dr. Kabiru T. Turaki, SAN should be honourable enough to abide by the outcome of the legal opinion/advice stemming from the proceeding they unreservedly consented to, most especially that the said legal opinion/advice was signed by a well experienced Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and same adopted by the BOT which is the conscience of the party. See Article 32(5) (a) to (i) of the Constitution (amended in 2017) of our great party.

“Finally, I have nothing to add to the said legal opinion, it is hereby adopted as mine.”

Politics

Obasanjo, Atiku, Obi Meet In Abuja

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi met in Abuja on Saturday.

The trio were among prominent political figures who attended the Tambuwal Colloquium, titled “Leadership, Service and Statesmanship at 60,” held at the New Event Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, in honour of the 60th birthday of former Sokoto State Governor and Senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Atiku confirmed his presence at the event in a post on his X handle, stating that he had arrived at the venue for the colloquium organised to mark Tambuwal’s milestone birthday.

The former vice president also shared images of himself, Obasanjo and Obi at the event.

The event attracted political leaders, statesmen and stakeholders from across the country.

Politics

PANDEF Wades Into Rivers Crisis, Sets Up Seven-member Mediation Team

Published

2 days ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has intervened in the political crisis in Rivers State, calling on all actors to sheathe their swords and embrace peace in the interest of the development of the state and the region in general.

Expressing concern that the political disagreement involving the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly might degenerate to total lawlessness, the Board and National Executive Committee of PANDEF set up a seven-member reconciliation team to resolve the issues.

The team, which is headed by a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi, has six other members.

They are Senator Obende Domingo (Vice Chairman); Chief Essien Nduese; Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agari; Chief Mike Ejiofor; Mrs Nella Rabana-Andem, SAN; and Prince Godwin Okotie, the Deputy National Secretary of PANDEF, who will serve as the secretary of the team.

Politics

Wike: Why Removing Fubara Will Be Difficult – Ex-Commissioner

Published

3 days ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

A former Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Austin Tam-George, has said that attempts to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara would be difficult to sustain, citing what he described as the governor’s performance record and the lack of concrete allegations against him.

Tam-George made the remarks on Thursday while speaking on Prime Time on Arise Television, arguing that the impeachment process being initiated against Fubara was to scuttle his chance for a second term.

According to him, Governor Fubara has continued to place the needs of the people at the centre of his administration, with visible interventions in rural development, housing, education and healthcare.

He said this, in his view, has made it difficult for opponents to justify moves to remove the governor from office.

Tam-George also called on the All Progressives Congress, APC, to intervene, arguing that the party should not allow what he described as the humiliation of a sitting governor.

He said: “Well, all I think he needs to do is to do exactly what he’s been doing from the beginning, which is to place the people at the center of gravity of his administration, prioritize the needs of the people, so that the people can see the direct impact of government action in their lives.

“And that’s exactly what he’s doing in terms of rural development, in terms of housing sector transformation, which I mentioned that he is doing the same in education sector and in health.

“So if he continues, if he persists in placing the people’s need at the center of focus of his administration, there is no way they are going to be able to justify this kind of shenanigans.

“Because, if you look very carefully at the so called articles of impeachment, you will see that there is no specificity in terms of any infraction by the governor or his deputy.

“What they are trying to do is to make sure they scuttle the administration so that the governor doesn’t then get to the point where he will be seeking a second term.

“Let me be clear, just two days ago, Nyesom Wike was at one of the local governments, and he made it clear in a moment of epiphany, he made it clear that, look, if Governor Fubara were to get a second term in office, it will amount to his own political burial.

“So all of these things that we are seeing the so called impeachment proceedings they’ve initiated, it’s actually an effort to try to scuttle the prospects of the governor coming for a second term, and I don’t see how they will succeed.

“If you look at the so called articles of impeachment, as I said, they lack specificity in terms of the kind of infraction that they allege that the governor has committed. He has done nothing wrong, and they will see how the process will play out.

“My sense, and in fact, if I were to advise the governor, my sense is that he should just maintain the people, retain the people at the center of gravity of his administration, meet their needs, run a transparent administration as he always done, and then the truth will come out, and he will be able to defend the administration.

“I think the the governing APC should also step in because they can’t possibly allow the governor of the office with probably one of the best performance records in the country to be humiliated by some of these members of the assembly.”