PDP Staff Back Koshoedo as Acting National Secretary, Reject Anyanwu

Staff members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have publicly thrown their support behind the appointment of Setonji Koshoedo as the acting National Secretary, signaling a major shift in the ongoing leadership crisis within the party. Speaking on behalf of 83 staff members at a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, the PDP’s Director of Administration, Gurama Bawa, expressed their full alignment with the decision of the PDP Governors Forum and the National Working Committee (NWC).

The internal tussle over the National Secretary position dates back to December 2024, when a lower court named former National Youth Leader Sunday Ude-Okoye as secretary. Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who had stepped aside to contest the Imo State governorship election, challenged the ruling at the Supreme Court. However, the apex court dismissed his case on March 21, 2025, stating that such disputes fall within the internal jurisdiction of political parties.

In response, PDP governors met in Ibadan on April 14 and asked the South East to nominate a replacement. Following this, the NWC officially endorsed Koshoedo during its 600th meeting on April 29. Despite this, disputes over the position persisted.

Declaring their stance, the PDP staff stated their unwavering support for Koshoedo’s appointment, emphasizing that the move is in line with the party’s constitution and essential for restoring stability. “We believe that the NWC’s directive that Arch Setonji Koshoedo acts as National Secretary is the best step at the moment to restore the confidence of members of the party and preserve the integrity of our internal processes,” the statement read. The staff concluded by pledging full loyalty to the NWC’s decision and the governors’ recommendation.