A former Imo State governor, Achike Udenwa, on Tuesday declared that the forces behind the embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Samuel Anyanwu are not bigger than the South-East Caucus of the party.
Udenwa made the remark while insisting that the South-East Caucus of the PDP stands with Sunday Ude-Okoye as National Secretary.
Featuring on Arise Television’s Programme, Morning Show, the former governor faulted the decision of the committee led by Senate President, Bukola Saraki to recognize Anyanwu as National Secretary.
He insisted that Anyanwu’s tenure ended when he opted to contest for the governorship election in Imo State.
Udenwa said: “For some time, for over one year, we have been on this issue. The South-East zonal executive committee kept nominating Ude-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary.
“If we are to continue on that line, it’s our prerogative to continue on that line and we have been asked severally to present a candidate and we have done it.
“If there is any contrary recommendation, then we are left to present our own candidate.
“We do know that the committee should be able to resolve the crisis and it should not come up with what is contrary to the recommendation as this is our candidate.
“As far as we are concerned, Anyanwu’s tenure ended when he opted to contest for governorship. He gave up his position as National Secretary and it’s left for us as the South-East Caucus to represent another candidate.
“We have done that three times now – if our presentation is being turned down, it means nobody wants us to make presentation again and we have made our position very clear.
“I don’t believe that whatever forces are behind Anyanwu are stronger than the South-East Caucus of the party. It can never be because the South-East Caucus is an established zone within the party. If that caucus takes a decision, it’s binding and our recommendation to the national can’t be taken away.
“Wike is a member of the party, NEC and a former governor of the party, so that is as far as his own power goes. I don’t know what extra power he has but whatever such powers may be can never equate to a zonal caucus of the party.
“This party has a constitution and a way of doing things; we can’t arrogate to one man the powers to override what a zone can do. I don’t know any man within the party with such powers.”
