As internal divisions trouble the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, has said that the party’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will still take place on Monday, June 30, 2025, as earlier planned.
Speaking to the press at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Sunday night, Arapaja clearly rejected any talk of a “Special Expanded National Caucus” meeting, saying that such a gathering is not recognized in the PDP’s constitution.
He was joined by several key members of the National Working Committee (NWC), including Setonji Koshoedo (Acting National Secretary), Debo Ologunagba (National Publicity Secretary), and Ali Odefa (National Vice Chairman, South East).
Arapaja explained that the decision to hold the NEC meeting was not new, as it was agreed upon during the 99th NEC session on May 27. He also said the party remains focused on preparing for its National Convention, set to take place between August 28 and August 30.
“We have called you to, through you, further update all members of the PDP and the general public on the activities of the Party especially with regard to the 100th meeting of the NEC statutorily scheduled for tomorrow, Monday, 30th June, 2025 and the National Convention scheduled for Thursday 28th to Saturday, 30th August, 2025,” he said.
Arapaja noted that the NEC meeting will receive reports from the Zoning Committee and the Convention Organising Committee. He also referred to Section 31(3) of the PDP constitution, which confirms that the date for the NEC meeting is binding and cannot be changed by any group or individual in the party.
He also said the viral notice on social media claiming that the NEC meeting had been turned into an expanded caucus session did not come from the party and should be ignored.
The Deputy Chairman made it clear that PDP’s rules do not support any such expanded caucus. “For the avoidance of doubt, Section 30 of the Constitution of the PDP is unambiguous in providing for a National Caucus for the Party with its composition, functions and meetings clearly spelt out, leaving no room for any form of expansion,” he said.
This comes at a time when the party is split over who holds the position of National Secretary and whether the NEC meeting should go forward. A group loyal to Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum — including prominent figures like Nyesom Wike and Governors Bala Mohammed, Caleb Mutfwang, and Adamu Fintiri — is pushing for Senator Samuel Anyanwu to return as Secretary and wants the NEC postponed.
Last Tuesday, Damagum declared Anyanwu reinstated and said the NEC meeting would be replaced with an expanded caucus meeting. He made this statement after a meeting with INEC, which had earlier acknowledged Anyanwu’s status.
However, another strong group within the PDP, which includes Governor Seyi Makinde and 11 members of the NWC, rejected Damagum’s decision. They said the NEC meeting must hold and pointed out that the reinstatement of Anyanwu did not have NEC approval.
INEC, meanwhile, refused to accept the NEC postponement letter because it lacked the joint signature of both the National Chairman and Secretary. The electoral body asked the party to follow the proper legal procedures.
