The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in an effort to address the growing tension surrounding its upcoming 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for June 30, is set to hold a high-level meeting today, Wednesday, with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, along with governors elected on the party’s platform and other key stakeholders, will attend the meeting.
Once Nigeria’s ruling party, the PDP has been grappling with a series of political and legal setbacks since its loss in the 2015 general election. These problems include leadership battles, defections, and disagreements over key party offices.
At the center of the current turmoil is the dispute over the position of National Secretary. Though Senator Samuel Anyanwu was declared the rightful secretary by both the Supreme Court and INEC, party factions continue to clash over his status. Some party members support his stay until the end of his tenure in December, while others are pushing for his removal.
INEC recently raised a red flag over the PDP’s notice for the June 30 NEC meeting. In a letter sent to the party on June 13, INEC said the notice did not comply with its 2022 rules, which require that both the National Chairman and National Secretary sign the invitation. The letter read, “The National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party shall jointly sign the notice of convention, congress, conference or meeting and submit same to the Commission.”
Despite this, Acting Chairman Umar Damagum had already written to INEC, informing it of the planned NEC meeting and naming Setonji Koshoedo, the Deputy National Secretary, as the acting secretary.
Party veteran and former Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Bode George, criticized INEC’s position. “INEC cannot say it recognises Anyanwu as the PDP National Secretary… INEC cannot decide,” he stated, pointing to the Supreme Court’s previous ruling that such matters are internal affairs of the party.
A high-level PDP stakeholders’ group also weighed in, warning that removing Senator Anyanwu before the end of his term could lead to deeper divisions. In their statement, they said, “We, the Peoples Democratic Party Concerned Stakeholders, therefore issue this solemn appeal: let Senator Anyanwu serve out the remainder of his constitutionally mandated tenure.”
The group also questioned why earlier internal disputes, such as those involving the National Publicity Secretary and Legal Adviser in 2024, were resolved through party dialogue, but Anyanwu’s case is being treated differently.
“There must be consistency in the way we resolve party conflicts,” the statement continued. “We cannot ignore the court’s decision and our party’s rules simply because of personal interest. That will only destroy what is left of our unity.”
The crisis has already delayed the NEC meeting six times, preventing the party from making decisions ahead of the 2027 general election. There are also reports of a power struggle involving Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, each seeking influence over the party’s leadership.
The stakes are high, and many PDP members worry that if the crisis is not resolved soon, it could lead to mass defections and weaken the party’s position nationally.
“We must remind all stakeholders that Senator Anyanwu enjoys the backing of a significant section of the party leadership,” the statement noted. “His removal, if done illegally with sentiments, could trigger an exodus of loyal party members.”
