The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing intense internal struggles as the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for October 24 draws near. The upcoming meeting is seen as a crucial moment to address leadership disputes and conflicts within the party, which have caused deep divisions among its key figures.
A major source of the current tension lies in the crisis within the National Working Committee (NWC), which escalated last week when the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, suspended National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, citing insubordination and disloyalty.
In a swift reaction, Ologunagba announced the suspension of Damagum and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, further deepening the rift within the party.
In an effort to restore calm, the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) stepped in on Monday, successfully negotiating a temporary truce. They nullified all suspensions and called on all party members to return to the status quo.
The meeting was attended by prominent governors such as Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), and Godwin Obaseki (Edo), among others.
While the intervention brought some temporary relief, it has not fully resolved the deeper issues plaguing the party. According to party insiders, the upcoming NEC meeting will focus on unresolved matters, including disagreements over political activities in Rivers State.
A senior party member, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Daily Sun: “The NWC under Damagum approved the congresses in Rivers State, not minding the pending litigations. As you know, the results of all the congresses will be presented to the NEC for ratification. I can tell you that it is not over yet.
“If they want to replace the NWC with a caretaker committee, so be it. But some of us will insist at the NEC that the right thing is done.”
Amid the internal conflict, there are growing calls for leadership changes within the NWC.
Some party members are pushing for the replacement of the current NWC with a caretaker committee, which is expected to be a key topic at the NEC meeting.
Despite efforts to reconcile the factions, tensions remain high, with various groups vying for control as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Diran Odeyemi, a member of the PDP NEC, acknowledged the efforts of the PDP Governors’ Forum but noted that more issues still need to be addressed at the NEC meeting.
Speaking to the Daily Sun, he said: “It is one thing after the other. The mere fact that the Governors’ Forum came alive to their responsibility of ensuring peace in the party is an indication that peace will soon return to PDP.
“That is the first thing they ought to have done. All other issues will be addressed with them. And of course, the National Executive Committee meeting which is on October 24 will answer a lot of questions, particularly on all grey areas. For now, we need peace in the party. That is how far the governors can go.”
Adding to the complexity of the situation, a Federal High Court ruling has temporarily barred the NEC and BoT from replacing Damagum as National Chairman until December 2025.
However, many influential party members are reportedly backing former Senate President David Mark to take over the leadership of the party.
