Anyanwu blames PDP governors for party crisis

The expelled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, on Monday accused PDP governors of causing the crisis rocking the opposition party.

Anyanwu, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said he would not take responsibility for the turmoil that culminated in the expulsion of several top members at the weekend.

“The truth of the matter is that I will hold the Governors’ Forum responsible for whatever is happening to the party today,” he said.

Asked if he played his role in stabilising the PDP, he replied, “I did my part very well,” adding that some founding members had already walked away in frustration.

He accused the governors of attempting to amend the party’s constitution to make the Governors’ Forum a recognised organ of the party.

“The PDP Governors’ Forum wanted the constitution amended to include it as an organ. So who is killing the party?” he asked.

Describing himself as “a custodian of the party,” Anyanwu warned the governors against what he called “backyard politics.”

He added, “I will tell the governors to leave the party alone. Because you produce funds does not mean you should ruin the party. The founding fathers who have reached above 80 years should go home and relax.”

Anyanwu dismissed his expulsion as illegal and said there was no basis to challenge “illegality” in court.

He also accused the PDP governors of negotiating with the All Progressives Congress, confirming the allegation when asked directly if they engineered the crisis.

Despite the tension, he insisted that the PDP is still alive.

“PDP is not dead, and PDP cannot die. Even if somebody is in an intensive care unit, the person can still recover,” he said.

Anyanwu also defended his friendship with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, saying the former Rivers State governor once helped revive the party.

“When Wike, Makinde, Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu and Ortom were doing G-5, I was not part of it. Yet Wike is my very good friend. When the PDP was in ruins, it was Wike who resurrected the party”, he said.

He faulted the PDP’s convention in Ibadan, describing it as “a jamboree.”

According to him, it was not an expansive and inclusive convention.

“Sixteen states had not even done their congresses; the entire Southeast has not done theirs. Even the ones done earlier have not been communicated to INEC,” he said.

The crisis in the party worsened on Saturday after the PDP expelled Wike, Anyanwu, former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose and others for alleged anti-party activities.

Their expulsion was ratified at the national convention in Ibadan, where the party said the move was in line with its constitution.