PDP Siege: Anyanwu Declares Monday Takeover

The long-running battle for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a dramatic turn, with Senator Samuel Anyanwu declaring an end to the internal warfare. Speaking with the confidence of a man who believes the law has finally swung in his favor, Anyanwu announced that his faction is prepared to seize control of the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja this coming Monday. The declaration follows a high-stakes meeting between political leaders and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), marking a potential flashpoint in the party’s turbulent history.

For months, the PDP has been a house divided, with competing factions claiming legitimacy and security forces often standing guard over its shuttered headquarters. Anyanwu, acting as the Factional National Secretary, insists that the fog of uncertainty has been lifted by a recent Federal High Court judgment in Ibadan, Oyo State. According to him, this legal ruling has effectively “settled” the leadership crisis that threatened to sink Nigeria’s primary opposition party ahead of the next major electoral cycle.

Anyanwu was unequivocal in his stance, asserting that there is no longer a division within the PDP. He claimed that the “authentic” leadership of the party is now firmly under the command of Abdulrahman Mohammed as National Chairman. In his view, the rivalries that have paralyzed the party’s administrative machinery are now relics of the past. The Senator dismissed the validity of the previous leadership structures, citing the court’s decision to nullify the convention held in mid-November 2025.

The crux of Anyanwu’s argument rests on the nullity of that controversial convention. He maintains that the court has forbidden anyone else from parading themselves as the PDP chairman or exercising the powers of party administration. This legal victory, he suggests, grants the National Working Committee led by Mohammed the sole authority to speak for and manage the affairs of the party. It is this newfound legal backing that Anyanwu intends to exercise when he marches on the national secretariat after the weekend.

The National Secretariat has been a symbol of the party’s dysfunction, frequently sealed by police to prevent violent clashes between opposing groups. Anyanwu noted that while the “other group” attempted to use the courts to force the police to vacate the premises, their efforts were dismissed due to a lack of standing. He believes the Ibadan court order has overridden previous restrictions, paving the way for a physical takeover. By Monday, he expects the gates to open and the Mohammed-led faction to move in.

Beyond the immediate struggle for office space, Anyanwu emphasized the psychological relief this brings to the party’s rank and file. For many members, the fear of disqualification or the inability to field valid candidates for the 2027 general elections has been a source of constant anxiety. Anyanwu sought to allay those fears, stating that the court’s intervention has cleared the path for the PDP to function as a cohesive political entity once again. He painted a picture of a party membership that is “already happy” to see the stalemate broken.

The timing of this takeover attempt is critical. As INEC prepares for future electoral timelines, the stability of the opposition is under intense scrutiny. Anyanwu’s move appears to be a calculated effort to present a unified front to the electoral umpire and the public. By claiming there is “just one PDP in Nigeria,” he is attempting to force a resolution to a conflict that has alienated voters and demoralized party faithfuls across the country.

However, the history of the PDP suggests that “settled” matters rarely stay settled for long. While Anyanwu speaks of a fast recovery and a unified path toward 2027, the reality on the ground often involves counter-suits, conflicting injunctions, and physical standoffs at the party gates. His bold claim that the “matter is settled” will be put to its ultimate test on Monday morning when his faction arrives at the Abuja headquarters.

If the takeover proceeds without a hitch, it could mark the beginning of a new chapter for the PDP under Abdulrahman Mohammed’s leadership. If met with resistance—legal or otherwise—it will simply be the latest episode in a long-running political soap opera. For now, Anyanwu is betting everything on the Ibadan judgment, positioning it as the final word in a struggle that has defined the opposition’s internal politics for years.

The nation now watches to see if Monday brings a peaceful transition of power or a fresh escalation in the war for the umbrella. Anyanwu’s confidence suggests he is ready for the latter, but he is clearly hoping for the former as he prepares to lead his group back into the corridors of power at Wadata Plaza.