In a bid to resolve the threat hovering around the 99th National Executive Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party scheduled for June 30, Acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, governors elected on the party’s platform and other stakeholders will on Wednesday (today) meet with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu.

The once dominant political party has been a shadow of its former self since it lost power at the centre in the 2015 presidential election.

From a leadership crisis, unresolved litigations, and a gale of defections, including the recent losses of Governors Sheriff Oborevwori and Umo Eno of Delta and Akwa Ibom States, respectively, the PDP has struggled to maintain its position as the major opposition party in the country.

Challenges ranging from the Rivers State crisis, unresolved disputes over the South-South and South-East zonal congresses, the controversy surrounding the National Secretary position, and more recently, the North-Central zonal congress, which have further unsettled the party.

Tensions among party leaders have escalated and spread across several states and regions, further deepening the division.

The lingering crises have led to the postponement of the NEC meeting on six occasions, stalling key decisions about the party’s direction ahead of the 2027 general election.

The South-East Caucus of the party had picked Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the party’s secretary to succeed Anyanwu following his emergence as the Imo State PDP governorship candidate in the November 2023 poll. However, Anyanwu, who did not quit his secretary duties at the PDP secretariat, returned from his electoral sojourn in Imo to lay claim to the seat. 

Anyanwu is enjoying the support of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, who is currently having his way in the race for control of the party’s machinery ahead of the next election cycle.

In a bid to address the controversy surrounding the National Secretary position, the PDP National Caucus Fact-Finding Committee, chaired by Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, disclosed that INEC officially recognised Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.

The committee’s findings were presented to the PDP national caucus on May 27 in Abuja.

Following the discovery, members of the PDP National Caucus chose not to address the issue during the 99th NEC meeting held on May 27; instead, the meeting agreed to reconvene on June 30.

The party, following the ruling by the Supreme Court that the choice of who the National Secretary of a party should be is an internal affair of the party in question, elevated the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo as its Acting National Secretary.

With this resolution, Damagum wrote to INEC notifying it of the party’s decision to convene its 100th NEC meeting in Abuja on June 30.

The notification is in line with INEC regulations requiring a 21-day notice before any NEC meeting to decide on issues like the National Secretary and others.

The Damagun’s letter to INEC, titled ‘Notice of 100th National Executive Committee Meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party,’ read in part, “We write to formally inform and invite INEC that the leadership of our great party, PDP has scheduled our 100th NEC meeting to hold on Monday, June 30, 2025 at the National Secretariat of our party, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

“This is for the commission’s information and necessary action, please. While thanking you for your usual cooperation, kindly acknowledge receipt of this letter and please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”

INEC flags meeting

Meanwhile, INEC on Tuesday raised concerns over the notice submitted by the PDP concerning its NEC meeting.

The development was conveyed in a letter dated June 13 and addressed to the party’s chairman, with reference number INEC/DEPM/PDP/286/iii/80 and titled “RE: NOTICE OF 100TH NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY.”

The letter was obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday.

The commission stated that the submitted notice failed to comply with its regulations.

Specifically, INEC cited Part 2(12)3 of the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, which requires that such notices be jointly signed by both the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party.

INEC, in the letter signed by Acting Secretary, Mathru Aminu, advised the PDP to ensure proper compliance with its rules moving forward.

“The commission draws your attention that the notice is not in compliance with the requirement of Part 2(12)3 of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022 that provides ‘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. Be guided,” the letter read.

Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH, former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party, Chief Bode George said the meeting of the PDP Acting National Chairman and the governors with the INEC chairman on Wednesday may provide a pathway to resolving the issue.

He said, “INEC cannot say it recognises Anyanwu as the PDP National Secretary. There is a meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) between the PDP National Chairman, the PDP Governors Forum and the INEC Chairman. INEC cannot decide” who the PDP National Secretary is.

“If the Supreme Court has spoken on this matter, people should be very careful. If the Supreme Court said the issue of the secretary of a party is internal affairs of the party, what is INEC saying? Between INEC and the Supreme Court, which has more powers?”

He urged the INEC boss to be careful, saying, “I want to tell Prof Mahmood Yakubu, kadan kadan (tread softly). You can see what is happening to those who said there would be only one party in Nigeria. We have a Deputy National Secretary who is now the Acting Secretary. Look at what they did in Gombe last weekend. That is just the beginning. The PDP shall never get so low as that level.

“Is INEC saying we don’t have a secretary now? Let’s await the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting.”

Also speaking, a member of the PDP National Working Committee and National Organising Secretary of the PDP, Umar Bature the way forward for the party is to allow Anyanwu to continue to sign the notification of the NEC meeting.

“Allow Sen Anyanwu to sign (Notice of NEC meeting,” he said.

Calls for convention

Ahead of the NEC meeting, PDP Stakeholders have warned that any attempt to remove Senator Anyanwu could threaten the party’s health.

In a statement signed by its National Convener, Aminu Das Sadiq, the group on Tuesday urged party leaders to uphold peace, respect the rule of law, and allow Anyanwu to complete his tenure, which ends in December.

The stakeholders noted that only a properly convened unity elective convention, where members would freely choose their leaders, can prevent internal crisis and safeguard the party’s stability.

At the heart of the crisis is an alleged plot by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah to unseat Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike-backed Anyanwu as PDP National Secretary, despite a Supreme Court ruling affirming his position.

In its reaction, the PDP Stakeholders expressed deep concern that nearly a year after the controversy over the position of National Secretary began, the issue remains unresolved and has worsened significantly.

“We also call on the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum and the NWC to immediately recognise the authority of the Supreme Court and INEC in affirming Senator Anyanwu’s position. Anything short of this is contemptuous of the law and deeply injurious to party discipline.

“We, the Peoples Democratic Party Concerned Stakeholders, therefore issue this solemn appeal: let Senator Anyanwu serve out the remainder of his constitutionally mandated tenure. Let us convene a proper unity elective convention and allow party members to democratically determine their future leadership. Anything else will be chaos,” PDP stakeholders stated.

Citing the Supreme Court judgment and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s recognition of Senator Anyanwu as the legitimate National Secretary, the group alleged that, despite the clear legal and institutional endorsements, certain vested interests are still pushing to forcefully remove him not only from his position but from the party entirely

The PDP Stakeholders stated, “These attempts defy not only the party’s constitution (2017 as amended) but also the collective wisdom that once helped our party navigate similar crises in the past. We must ask: Why is this case different? Why is due process being ignored? Why can’t they wait for a National Elective Convention to democratically make any changes in the NWC? What message are we sending to our teeming supporters across the country — that we no longer respect our constitution or the decisions of the courts?

“It is pertinent to recall that in 2024, our party faced a comparable situation involving the National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, and the National Legal Adviser, Barr Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN. That crisis, like this one, threatened to fracture the soul of our party. But maturity prevailed. Our governors rose above partisanship, shelved personal ambitions, and embraced political solutions. Through negotiation, diplomacy, and adherence to the laws of the party’s conflict resolution framework, peace was restored. The suspended officials were reinstated, and unity was preserved. 

“So again, we ask: Why is Senator Anyanwu’s case being handled differently? Why are some governors and stakeholders suddenly averse to using the same reconciliation mechanisms that worked before? Why are they afraid of obeying the Supreme Court and respecting the PDP Constitution?

“This disregard of the Supreme Court judgment and selective approach to conflict resolution is not only unfair but dangerous. It sets a precedent where personal ambition trumps party interest, where legal decisions are ignored at whim, and where loyalty is punished instead of rewarded. If left unchecked, this crisis could be the undoing of the PDP ahead of critical elections.”

The group stressed that as a statutory NEC member, Anyanwu cannot be removed through illegal means, adding that any action or notice from an unauthorised person acting as Secretary is null, void, and holds no credibility before INEC or the public.

The statement continued, “Senator Anyanwu has less than six months left to serve as National Secretary. It is both politically unwise and morally indefensible to continue this witch-hunt and internal sabotage when he is already on the home stretch of his tenure.

“If there are disagreements about his performance or future aspirations, the appropriate place to address them is at the next National Elective Convention. That is where democratic decisions are made, not through backroom conspiracies and public humiliation.

“We are not oblivious to the fact that some of those pushing for his removal are driven not by party interest, but by personal ego and ambition. They see the office of the National Secretary not as a party instrument, but as a political prize to be captured. We warn that this power struggle, if not curbed, will cost us more than a position — it may cost us the future of our great party.

“We must remind all stakeholders that Senator Anyanwu enjoys the backing of a significant section of the party leadership, including governors, former governors, BoT leaders, NEC members, grassroots mobilizers, and even members of the National Assembly. His removal, if done illegally with sentiments, could trigger an exodus of loyal party members, weaken our chances in upcoming elections across several states and lead to the end of the PDP. The future of PDP must not be sacrificed on the altar of vendetta.

“As dedicated stakeholders of the party, we urge the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, along with other governors, members of the BoT, NEC, and the South-East Caucus, to help de-escalate tensions and promote unity.

“We must all step away from this brinkmanship and choose the path of peace. Let us remember that the PDP has overcome many challenges in the past by prioritising unity, and we can do so once more.”