The feuding camps within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have refused to shift ground over Senator Samuel Anyanwu’s return as national secretary and the 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for today.
LEADERSHIP learnt that, as of yesterday, the camps were finalising plans regarding Anyanwu and the NEC gathering.
Their hard stances have created confusion within the party on what to expect today.
The camp led by the acting national chairman, Amb. Umar Illiya Damagum, insists on Anyanwu’s return and downgrading the proposed NEC meeting to a national caucus meeting.
They argued that their decision to recall Anyanwu and convene an expanded caucus instead of the 100th NEC are in line with the advice of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the issues.
This group, which has some members of the National Working Committee (NWC), also has the backing of former Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Hon Kingsley Chinda, and Senator Ahmed Makarfi, among others.
The other group, which also has NWC members, the BoT, and some party leaders, insists that the NEC meeting must continue as planned, adding that it was scheduled by the party’s 99th NEC meeting held two weeks ago.
They faulted the cancellation of the 100th NEC meeting and Anyanwu’s return because the 99th NEC, the highest decision-making body after the national convention, had already taken a position on the two issues.
Interestingly, Anyanwu had dismissed the 99th NEC, describing it as a mere gathering of stakeholders, a claim countered by the PDP’s national spokesman, Hon Debo Ologunagba.
However, both groups are separately backed by two senior party governors: Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed, who backs the Damagum group, and Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde, who backs the BoT group.
This is not the first time this NWC are split over contentious issues. The national executives were divided over the party’s leadership in Rivers State, with some aligning with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, and others with the state governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The confusion over Anyanwu’s return and the uncertainty over today’s gathering were an offshoot of last week’s meeting between PDP leaders and the INEC. The electoral body raised compliance issues with the PDP notification letter for the 100th NEC because it was signed only by Damagum instead of jointly with the party’s national secretary.
Ologunagba faulted INEC’s complaint, adding that the NEC delegated Damagum to notify INEC. The spokesman also said the notification was a mere formality because the 100th NEC was not an elective gathering that would require monitoring by the commission.
But Damagum faulted Ologunagba for speaking on the issue without authorisation, a claim 11 other NWC members dismissed.
Recall that Anyanwu’s national secretaryship is being opposed by the South East caucus of the party, which recognises Hon Sunday Ude-Okoye for the position.
However, the NWC asked the deputy national secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, to occupy the position in an acting capacity pending the resolution of the crisis.
Confusion over meeting….
Damagum yesterday issued a notice of Expanded Caucus Meeting.
In the notice seen by LEADERSHIP, Damagum’s NWC noted that the meeting will be held today by 2 p.m. at the National Secretariat (NEC Hall), Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja FCT.
Those invited are statutory members of the national caucus, deputy national officers, BoT members, All state chairmen, all members of the PDP NASS Caucus, former NWC members (still in the party), national ex-officio members; All PDP former governors (still in the party), all immediate past gubernatorial candidates (still in the party).
Interestingly, the invitation was signed by Sen Samuel N. Anyanwu as national secretary.
The notice followed a meeting of some NWC members at the party secretariat with Anyanwu in attendance.
However, speaking with LEADERSHIP yesterday, the deputy national youth leader of PDP, Timothy Osadolor, said the proposed NEC will not hold today. He maintained that what is scheduled for today is an expanded caucus meeting.
He said, “What we have tomorrow (today) is an expanded caucus meeting. That is what will hold tomorrow. Unless the federal government holds a NEC meeting, but as far as PDP is concerned, we don’t have an NEC meeting tomorrow (today).”
However, he added that after the caucus meeting, an NEC meeting will be convened to deliberate on the caucus’ outcomes.
As for a NEC meeting, he said the party would formally write to INEC to notify them about the gathering being held.
Another source in the Damagum group, who pleaded anonymity, said, “There will be a Peoples Democratic Party expanded caucus meeting tomorrow, and the national secretary of the party, Distinguished Senator Samuel Anyanwu will be fully present to discharge his duties as the secretary of the party.”
Calls and messages to the BoT chairman Adolphus Wabara, deputy national chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja, and Ologunagba, who belong to the camp insisting on holding NEC today, were futile as they all didn’t pick up their calls or reply to text messages.
S’East, NWC, BOT On NEC, Nat’l Scribe – Gov Mbah
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has maintained that he fully supports the position of the NWC, the BoT, and the South East Zonal Executive Committee, ZEC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on the crisis rocking the party.
The governor also expressed support for the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the party scheduled for Monday, June 30, 2025, saying that while he was still a member of the PDP, he was “simply fed up with the shenanigans that have more or less made the party an endless circus.”
Mbah, who made his position known to newsmen after a closed-door meeting with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara and the South East Zonal chairman of the party, Chief Ali Odefa, among others, at the Government House, Enugu on Sunday, equally maintained that the position of the South East ZEC of the PDP to review its future with the party if its stand on the issue of the national secretary was not honoured remained sacrosanct.
“For the record, just as I stated during my interactive session with Fellows and Members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Enugu at the weekend, while I am still a member of the PDP, the South East – and that includes me – reserves the right to review our continued membership of the party if the party is unwilling to put its house in order.
“That was invariably the position adopted during our last South East Zonal meeting in Enugu. During that meeting, the caucus noted that the party should not disregard the zone’s stand regarding the national secretary position.
“This has not been the case. So, there is no doubt where I stand on the matter.
“The position of the South East concerning the national secretaryship of the party as issued in that communique is sacrosanct,” he stated.
Other PDP chieftains at the meeting include Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, the former party national chairman and BOT member; Senator Sam Egwu; Iyom Josephine Anenih; Senator Ben Obi; and Hon. Udeh-Okoye, among others.
However, a source in their camp, who pleaded anonymity because he was not cleared to speak, said the NEC meeting would go ahead as planned.
He said the party leaders “are not keen to allow the NEC to be undermined by a few persons claiming to be party stakeholders.
“They can’t just overturn a decision of the NEC like that; it will set a wrong precedent, and that is why the NEC will hold as scheduled,” the source said.
Similarly, members of the NWC opposed to Damagum’s position met in Abuja yesterday and declared that the 100th NEC meeting will continue today as scheduled.
Addressing newsmen after their meeting, the deputy national chairman (South) of PDP, Amb. Taofeek Arapaja said, “For the avoidance of doubt, the National Working Committee (NWC) assures all Party members that the 100th NEC meeting will proceed as scheduled tomorrow, Monday, 30th June, 2025, at the NEC Hall of the Wadata Plaza, PDP National Secretariat, Abuja.
“The 100th NEC meeting will receive updates on the activities of the Zoning Committee and the National Convention Organising Committee.
“As you are aware, the 100th meeting was unanimously scheduled by NEC at its 99th meeting held on Tuesday, 27th May, 2025.
“By Section 31(3) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) the Monday, 30th June, 2025 date for the 100th NEC meeting is binding on all Organs and members, and as such no Organ, group or officer of the Party has the power to alter, change, vary, veto or convert the already convened NEC meeting.
“Contrary to a purported Notice being circulated in the social media suggesting that the 100th NEC meeting has been converted to a Special Expanded National Caucus meeting, the NWC states in clear terms that the said Notice did not emanate from the PDP and should be disregarded,” he said.
Besides Arapaja, other NWC members who endorsed the resolution are the Hon. (Arc) Setonji Koshoedo, Acting National Secretary; Sir Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel, National Auditor; Hon. Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; and Woyengikuro Daniel, Ph.d, National Financial Secretary.
Others are Hon. Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader; High Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Hon. Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); and Hon. Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
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