It’s no laughing matter for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). What ought to be the main opposition party in Nigeria, is tearing up at the seams. In years gone by, PDP was a behemoth that intimidated opposition parties with its sheer size. But the party is now firmly on a leash. It is being led to the slaughter, with feeble resistance. The PDP herd had long strayed from the shepherd’s watch. It’s now in the firm grip of a pack.
The platform has continued to thrive on schadenfreude, anchored on a combination of grit and grift… “As e dey pain dem, e dey sweet us,” goes the derisive anthem, with some funny arrhythmic dance steps to rub it in. Critical party decisions are belched from a croacky throat of one individual at kaffeeklatsch with a handful of loyalists.
These decisions are then forced down the throat of the party leadership. There is little room for resistance from those who meant well for the party. They are hamstrung by the apparent acquissence of public institutions charged with the statutory responsibility of providing the guard rail. The prevailing Kafkaesque that rules the party will make even Franz Kafka envious in his grave.
The Present Crisis
After months of dithering that saw to ...ponement of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) for five times, the leadership managed to hold one on May 27, 2025. The major aim of that meeting, was to take a firm resolution on who should be the National Secretary. But sources, privy to the meeting, confided in THE WHISTLER, that attempts were made by certain elements to disrupt proceedings when the matter was about to he tabled for discussion. “To avoid a crisis, we had to hurriedly adjourn the meeting,” the source said.
Consequently, a June 30, 2025 date was fixed for another NEC meeting to enable the party resolve the matter and plan for its national convention, tentatively fixed for late August 2025. As the rule dictates, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be officially notified of the planned NEC meeting, not later than 21 days ahead. By established tradition, such communication to INEC is jointly signed by the National Chairman and the National Secretary. However, the letter to INEC, informing the electoral body of the planned June 30 NEC meeting, was unilaterally signed by the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum. But INEC rejected the latter, pointing out that it violated the rules with the omission of the signature of the national secretary. This promoted a meeting of the party leadership and some PDP governors with the leadership of INEC on Wednesday, June 25. It was resolved at the meeting that Anyanwu remained the legally recognised national secretary. The implication of this, is that the NEC meeting, panned for June 30, will no longer hold. Based on this conclusion, the party chairman, Damagum, and the chairman and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, held a joint press conference on Thursday, June 26 where they officially announced the cancellation of the planned NEC meeting. They also announced Anyanwu as the only national secretary recognised in INEC’s records. Instead, they dais, a stakeholder meeting would hold same June 30 in place of NEC.
The Stalemate
The announcement of the cancellation of NEC has split the Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) and the rank of the PDP Governors down the line. On the Damagum side, are Governors Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Agbu Kefas (Taraba), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau) and Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa). The dissenting NWC members have Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) and Douye Diri (Bayelsa) in their camp. The party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) has also identified with this camp. They have insisted on going ahead with the planned June 30 NEC meeting in spite of the objection raised by INEC. The snag, however, is that the party chairman, who announced the cancelation of NEC, is the one the PDP constitution vested with the power to convene NEC meetings. It’s a catch-22 affair.
Saraki Plays The Pacifist
Former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who was part of the PDP delegation to the meeting with INEC, is backing the Damagum/Bala Mohammed’s camp in the cancellation of the planned NEC meeting. Party sources told THE WHISTLER at the weekend, that Saraki’s decision to comply with INEC’s advisory against the proposed NEC, was to prevent rocking the boat. The former Kwara governor is the chairman of a PDP reconciliation committee which is currently working towards unifying aggrieved members and groups within the party. “Saraki wasn’t happy with the cancellation of the proposed NEC meeting. But he is left with no choice but to toe the line to avoid possible backlash from INEC. “As things are, whatever resolutions that may be adopted at the NEC risked being voided by the electoral body and the PDP would be back to square one,” the source said.
Atiku Strays To ADC
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar appears to have finally dumped the PDP. With the deepening chasm and a hydra-headed crisis plaguing the party, it stands very little chance of putting its house in order in good time before the 2027 election. The two-time PDP presidential flag bearer is reported to have joined the African Democratic Alliance (ADC). His running mate in the 2019 presidential election, Peter Obi, is also said to be involved with the platform.
Media reports on Sunday, indicate that a forner President of the Senate, David Mark, will be assuming the national chairmanship of the party. A coalition of other top opposition politicians are also believed to be casting a sheep’s eyes glance towards the ADC. There are strong indications the forces behind the revival of the erstwhile fringe platform, will be meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, with a viewing to fixing some nuts and bolts and charting a way forward. However, insider sources say there are mounting concerns among stakeholders that Atiku might not stick with the platform if he fails to secure its presidential ticket. They posit that frantic chase after a presidential ticket, informed Atiku’s desperate search for a new platform in the first place. But calls are being made by prominent political groups and individuals in recent times, to the former vice president to yield the stage to other younger politicians to play. It’s yet to be seen whether or not he will heed the call. Born on November 25, 1946, Atiku Abubakar will be past 80 years before the 2027 general election.
Wike As PDP’s Nemesis
Many consider the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike as PDP’s nemesis. The former Rivers governor is leaving no one in doubt of his irrevocable resolve to undermine the party and make the platform unserviceable for the 2027 presidential contest. The minster, whose heart is with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has since declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election. He is has taken up the task of binding the PDP hands and feet ahead of the 2027 poll. After succeeding in entrenching Damagum in the party, he instigated the snafu over the position of national secretary.
The minister has also foisted a Faustian bargain on the party by having his ally, Anyanwu, retained as national secretary. The deal appeared sealed with a chairman who, party sources allege, has perfected the art of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds at the same time. The chairman and the secretary hold the keys to the party’s administrative strongroom. And by getting the two officers under his thumb, the FCT minister has tightened his chokehold on the PDP. At a recent public function, Wike called the party chairman “ignorant” and described his visit to INEC office with other party stakeholders as “shameful.” Observers say such is the kind of inebration that comes with untamed power and wealth. In today’s PDP, it is the tail that wags the dog, as he who pays the piper calls the tune. The consequences for the floundering party are dire, in the immediate and long term.
The Endgame
The NEC meeting, scheduled for Monday, June 30, remained canceled. If it holds at all, it will be a stakeholders meeting, as declared by the Wike camp. Should the opposing group go ahead and hold a factional NEC meeting, decisions therefrom cannot make the INEC records.
This has cast doubts over the party’s national convention, tentatively slated for August. A new set of national officers are expected to emerge from the convention. But the NEC, which is vested with the powers to ratify decisions concerning the convention, is in limbo. If the NEC meeting is allowed to hold at all, it’s Damagum and Anyanwu that will transmit the resolutions to INEC. Such resolutions would have to be vetted by the “sole administrator” of the PDP. The party’s constitution assigns key roles to the chairman and the secretary in the processes that will lead to the national convention. They are the ones to co-sign communication to INEC to inform the electoral body of the date chosen for the convention. They are also the ones to endorse the list of candidates for the various elective party positions meant for INEC’s records. And with the two high ranking party officers tied to the minister’s apron strings, undoing the process at the most critical point is not ruled out. What is on ground, is that the tenure of both the chairman and the secretary, and indeed other NWC members, remains valid till December 2025. And there is no law barring either or both of them from seeking re-election to their present positions, provided such positions are alloted to their geopolitical zones. In the event of either of them retaining his position in the next NWC, the PDP would continue to remain a play thing in the hands of the minister. On the other hand, the two officers may leverage their strategic positions to swing the balance in the nomination of candidates for key offices in the next NWC. If they succeed in that venture, the PDP would certainly be back in the trenches. And Wike winks.
