Fresh crisis brews in PDP as Saraki’s panel endorses Anyanwu’s return

The decision by the reconciliation committee led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki to back the return of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has triggered renewed tensions within the party.

According to sources who spoke to The Punch, the endorsement has not been well received by key organs of the party, including the PDP Governors’ Forum, the National Working Committee (NWC), the Board of Trustees (BoT), and other critical stakeholders.

A senior PDP figure, who requested anonymity, revealed that several prominent members—especially from the South-East caucus—felt blindsided by the move. Among those reportedly upset are Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, BoT Chairman, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, and several members of the NWC.

“There is growing agitation over how Saraki handled the matter,” the source said. “He only met with a handful of NWC members before deciding that Anyanwu should resume as National Secretary. He bypassed full consultation with the reconciliation panel, the broader NWC, and the governors who mandated him to lead the effort.”

The source added that governors like Makinde, Mbah, Lawal, and Diri see the development as an attempt to sideline their influence within the party.

“Even within the NWC, there’s discomfort over the unilateral nature of the decision. It’s seen as a move that could deepen divisions rather than heal them.”

Calm had reportedly returned to the party following the nomination and approval of Setonji Koshoedo as National Secretary by the governors and NWC. However, the Saraki panel’s meeting, which led to the endorsement of Anyanwu, appears to have reignited old tensions.

“What stakeholders want is stability and respect for the South-East, which originally made the nomination,” the source said. “Undermining that could jeopardize party unity.”

Adding to the complexity, a PDP chieftain disclosed that the name of Deputy National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo had already been forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s acting National Secretary.

“As of Wednesday, Koshoedo’s name had been submitted to INEC, and he remains the recognised secretary. I’m not aware of any other formal arrangement,” the source stated.

Another insider confirmed that the Saraki committee’s endorsement of Anyanwu has unsettled many within the party leadership, deepening the ongoing internal rift.