The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has “already imploded,” according to Prof. Okey Ikechukwu, Executive Director of Development Specs Academy, who says the Southeast caucus’s rejection of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary is only the latest evidence of the party’s deep identity crisis.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Wednesday, Ikechukwu issued a blunt warning,“The PDP has imploded long before now. It pretends its NEC can take binding decisions, that it controls its members when it can’t even manage Nyesom Wike. It’s preparing to participate in the next election, but not to contest.”
He said the controversy surrounding Anyanwu’s reinstatement, which has sparked backlash from Southeast leaders, mirrors past internal divisions, including the uproar over Atiku Abubakar’s selection of Peter Obi as running mate in 2019 a move that was publicly opposed by Southeast stakeholders led by then-Governor Dave Umahi.
“If you think back to 2019 when Atiku contested under the PDP with Peter Obi as running mate, the same reaction you’re getting now is what happened then. There was a press conference led by those who called themselves Southeast stakeholders, saying ‘this is not our choice’,” he recalled.
He warned that decisions made without regional consensus, especially in a party as fractured as the PDP, often lead to anti-party behavior. “From the matter of building party cohesion and synergy, it would make sense to say, ‘If you’re choosing someone from my family, I should be the one to say who represents us in the village square.”
Ikechukwu said the burden now rests with Senator Anyanwu to demonstrate his political strength and legitimacy in the Southeast.
“If he is the big boy those supporting him think he is, and his brothers and sisters don’t want him, let him prove himself with the kind of support he can rally in the Southeast.”
He also cautioned that the decision to reinstate Anyanwu could provoke electoral sabotage.
“If there’s an election tomorrow morning, those who are angry would engage in anti-party activities. They would want to spite Anyanwu and say, ‘You got the position despite our opposition, but we’ll do nothing for the party.’” Reflecting on PDP’s broader structural weaknesses, Ikechukwu noted that the party continues to operate under the illusion of unity. “This is a party that has imploded. It’s only pretending now. The caucus is not on ground.”
Regarding the idea of a broader opposition coalition ahead of 2027, he expressed skepticism, arguing that there is little evidence of meaningful grassroots engagement.
“All these coalition talks apart from Abuja, Lagos, and press releases what’s happening at state and local levels? Are efforts being made to bring stakeholders together on the ground?” He also pointed to three emerging dynamics that may shape the PDP’s future: the opposition coalition, the possibility of Governor Peter Mbah’s defection, and Peter Obi’s influence in the Southeast.
“If the party doesn’t build bridges, if it doesn’t listen to its own caucuses, it risks another implosion,” he said, emphasising that the current crisis over Anyanwu’s reinstatement may just be the start of more serious political damage.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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