PDP Legal Adviser’s Endorsement Of Udeh-Okoye Deepens NWC Crisis
The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has worsened following National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade’s (SAN) support for the replacement of embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, with former National Youth Leader, Sunday Udeh-Okoye.
Ajibade’s stance has further divided the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) as preparations for the 2027 general election intensify.
A former National Executive Committee (NEC) member, speaking anonymously, warned that the development could push some party members to defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
“This isn’t just about Udeh-Okoye or Anyanwu; it’s a test of the PDP’s capacity to govern itself.
“If the NWC ignores its own Legal Adviser and the Board of Trustees (BoT), it risks alienating other stakeholders ahead of 2027 general election.
“And if it goes ahead to move against Anyanwu, the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, will be easily overwhelmed, and NEC meeting would take place sooner, with strong likelihood of replacing Damagum too,” the NEC member told The Nation on Monday.
In a memorandum acknowledged by Damagum’s office on Monday in Abuja, Ajibade urged the NWC, which he, Damagum, and Anyanwu belong to, to immediately swear in Udeh-Okoye as PDP’s National Secretary.
READ ALSO
- Akpabio Mocks PDP As BoT Endorses Udeh-Okoye As Secretary
- PDP Crisis: Atiku’s Cockiness Cost Us 2023 Election – Ex-Lawmaker
Ajibade hinged his “legal advice” on his full adoption of the BoT panel’s decision, which in turn is based on the report of its one-man committee constituted by a former Minister of Special Duties and BoT member, Kabiru Turaki (SAN).
OSUN DEFENDER reported that at its meeting in Abuja last week, the PDP BoT resolved to fully adopt Turaki’s recommendation that Udeh-Okoye replace Anyanwu as PDP’s National Secretary.
But in a swift reaction, PDP’s Southeast Zonal Legal Adviser, Ukpai Ukairo, who described the purported resolution as “an accursed document,” also emphasised that the BoT decision was “porous, illegal and lacking foundation in law and morality”.
According to him, the mere act of taking the PDP BoT’s meeting to a hotel instead of the party’s national secretariat and having the meeting without communication with the national secretariat was enough to subject the BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, to serious disciplinary actions.
However, in his memorandum in response to Damagum’s 6 February 2023 memorandum, titled: “Legal Opinion with Regards to the Position of the National Secretary,” and seeking legal advice on what to do with the BoT resolution, Ajibade justified the BoT’s position.
He recalled that Udeh-Okoye and Anyanwu had submitted themselves to the BoT committee, urging them to accept the panel’s findings.
“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 legal opinion/advice, 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,” Ajibade said.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
