The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing another serious crisis as its leaders continue to search for a way out of the troubles threatening to tear the party apart. With just days to go before its planned 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, the party is still battling disagreements over leadership positions, especially the role of the National Secretary.
The PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) has called for an emergency meeting after recent talks between PDP governors, party leaders, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ended without any solution. According to sources in the party, INEC advised the PDP to go back and consult its members, follow the party’s constitution, and resolve its internal differences before the NEC meeting can go ahead.
Speaking after the meeting with INEC, the party’s acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, told journalists that the PDP would speak with its leadership and reply to INEC within 48 hours.
The biggest issue causing the crisis is the fight over who should be the party’s National Secretary. Samuel Anyanwu, who is supported by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, insists that he is still the rightful secretary. But another group in the party replaced him with Sunday Udeh-Okoye. To manage the situation, the PDP then appointed Setonji Koshoedo to act as the secretary temporarily.
However, a panel led by the Governor of Taraba State, Agbu Kefas, later revealed that INEC still recognises Anyanwu as the valid National Secretary. This has made the situation even more confusing.
The PDP had scheduled its 100th NEC meeting for June 30 and wrote a letter to inform INEC. But INEC rejected the letter because it was signed only by the party chairman and not by both the chairman and the secretary, which is the usual requirement. INEC reminded the party that this rule had been followed during the previous 99 NEC meetings.
The PDP’s publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, responded by saying INEC does not have the power to approve or cancel NEC meetings. According to him, such meetings are internal party matters. But the acting chairman, Damagum, later distanced the party from Ologunagba’s comments, saying they were his personal opinion and not officially approved.
Meanwhile, INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, explained that the commission is open to engaging with political parties but expressed concern about the conflicting letters from the PDP about who holds the secretary position. He pointed out that the party had sent several letters—first naming Udeh-Okoye, then Anyanwu, then Koshoedo, and again back to Anyanwu. The last letter, according to him, had no secretary’s signature at all.
Yakubu said these inconsistencies must be resolved quickly so that INEC can relate with the party properly and follow legal procedures.
The PDP has been battling internal problems since losing power in 2015. The party has experienced leadership struggles, defections, and disagreements in many of its state chapters. The ongoing fight over who should be the secretary is only the latest in a long list of issues affecting its unity.
As the 100th NEC meeting draws closer, the PDP must act fast to resolve its internal disagreements. If not, the crisis could affect the party’s ability to prepare for the 2027 general elections.
#PDP crisis #General Secretary
