PDP’s man- made crisis uncalled for, says Anyanwu

By Tunde Opalana

Senator Samuel Anyanwu has said that the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is uncalled for as they are self inflicted by members who are hell bent in destroying the party.

In a recent interview with journalist at his Abuja resident, Anyanwu who is battling to hold on to his position as National Secretary of the party said he will complete his four years term as the PDP national scribe.

He said his position is not threatened by the leadership undercurrents in the party as the Supreme Court backed the retention of his seat.

According to him, the erstwhile zonal chairman of the party, Chief Ali Odefa has no constitutional right to convene any meeting which purportedly nominated Hon Sunday Ude- Okoye to replace him as National Secretary.

He said “I will repeat the language for you. The court says that any meeting convened or attended by Odefa remains invalid and ineffective.

“If he wants to attend any party event, he has to go back to his ward to be admitted as a member of the party. That is just a true simple truth.

“By the way, there is a court judgment too that has brought in a new national vice chairman, a replacement. As a matter of fact, whatever he is doing is an illegality if we need to be serious and honest and want to uphold constitutional responsibility.

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“There is internal mechanism of resolving issues. We have a resolution that believe the rule of law. And if you don’t do that, then why will we accuse another party of violating the rule of law, when you cannot uphold your own constitution?.

“All these problems are uncalled for. That’s why I said when I started, I said it’s a man-made crisis.”

Asked if he is prepared to make any sacrifices to relinquish his seat as National Secretary if the party insists so that the party can move forward, Anyanwu said “this is very simple. I campaigned, I went to all the states campaigning for this position and I was elected and my position is for four years with the constitutional guarantees. And the next convention is by August or October. And we have just five more months to go.

“Why would you want to put a party into a turmoil? Why would you sacrifice me and a man who has been rejected by his people and by court is attending a meeting? What kind of sacrifice is that? And you think I will stand and I will sit and watch? It’s not about making sacrifice. It’s about doing the right thing. It’s only when you do the right thing that somebody can make a sacrifice.

“And what would I do between now and the convention to injure the party even at all? And why would I be irresponsible to injure a party that gave me a platform?

“Some of these people have left the party and come back. Some of them came to this party midway. But I have been with this party since 1999.

I”Ive never gone out and come back. I’ve remained. In my state, we’ve had a government. We are PDP. For eight years, Rochas was governor I was in PDP. I defeated his candidates from state assembly straight to senate. That’s how my popularity is.

“So, for me, I don’t see the reason why we should injure this party. And that’s why I want you to know, is there anything going on they don’t want to tell us?
I don’t know. I don’t know what they’re trying to do.”