By Daniel Edu
An aide to the embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emmanuel Okoronkwo, reportedly assaulted The Sun Correspondent, Mr. Ndubuisi Orji, on Monday while he was covering PDP activities. Okoronkwo, who works for Senator Samuel Anyanwu, allegedly attacked Orji during a tense situation at the party’s secretariat.
This incident comes amid ongoing leadership challenges for Anyanwu, whose position as PDP National Secretary was recently overturned by the Court of Appeal in Enugu. On December 20, the court upheld the Enugu High Court’s decision, affirming Sunday Ude-Okoye as the legitimate National Secretary, replacing Anyanwu.
In response, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba confirmed that the party would comply with the court ruling, with Ude-Okoye officially assuming office on December 30. Ude-Okoye himself stated, “I am resuming today, the 30th of December, in obedience to the Appeal Court’s ruling that sacked the former National Secretary and made me the National Secretary of PDP.”
Meanwhile, Senator Anyanwu, in an interview with Daily Sun, declared that he had appealed the ruling and still considers himself the legitimate representative of the party before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He insisted, “I have filed a stay. All those things are just social media propaganda.”
Following Ude-Okoye’s arrival at the PDP secretariat, Anyanwu reportedly instructed security personnel to block journalists from entering the premises. On Monday, when Orji attempted to access the secretariat to report on the developments, security denied him entry based on these instructions. Orji was directed to seek authorization from Senator Anyanwu or the Chief Security Officer.
As Orji made his way back to his car, Okoronkwo allegedly approached and physically assaulted him, slapping him multiple times and damaging his mobile phone before security intervened. Despite being restrained, Okoronkwo reportedly continued to threaten Orji and other journalists present.
The assault was reported to the Wuse Division of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja. The PDP Press Corps, through its chairman Samuel Ogidan, swiftly condemned the attack, calling on the police to ensure justice. The Corps also expressed concerns that the assault might have been sanctioned by Senator Anyanwu, referencing his prior confirmation that journalists had been barred from the secretariat under his instructions.
In their statement, the Press Corps emphasized the importance of press freedom in promoting transparency and accountability in governance. They described the attack as a breach of democratic principles and urged PDP leadership to take swift and decisive action against Okoronkwo to prevent further incidents. The Corps also underscored the need to protect journalists’ rights, particularly in light of the ongoing leadership disputes within the party.
