The deepening leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a dramatic turn on Sunday as the party’s internal rift escalated with two rival factions set to hold parallel National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings.
Naijaonpoint reports that the confusion follows conflicting directives by Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and the National Working Committee (NWC), raising fresh questions about constitutional authority and internal party coherence.
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, on Sunday threw his weight behind the NWC, the Board of Trustees (BoT), and the South East Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) of the PDP.
Speaking after a closed-door meeting at the Enugu Government House with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara; and South East Zonal Chairman, Chief Ali Odefa, Mbah warned that the South East may reconsider its continued membership if the zone’s position on the national secretary is ignored.
The governor stated: “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 held here in Enugu. During that meeting, the caucus noted that the party should not disregard the zone’s stand regarding the national secretary position. To all intents and purposes, this has obviously not been the case. So, there is no doubt as to where I stand on the matter.
“The position of the South East with respect to the national secretaryship of the party as issued in that communique is sacrosanct.”
INEC Sparks Confusion, NWC Fires Back
The crisis escalated after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reportedly rejected the notification for the NEC meeting, citing its violation of the 2022 regulations that require co-signatures from both the chairman and national secretary.
However, INEC has since denied issuing such a directive.
“The document under reference was not in our records,” INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, wrote in a response addressed to a civil society organisation, effectively validating the signature of Acting National Secretary, Arc. Setonji Koshoedo.
Despite this, Damagum had used the initial INEC rejection to postpone the NEC meeting and controversially reinstated Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
Woyengikuro: ‘Stop Hiding Behind INEC’
In a strong rebuttal, PDP National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyengikuro, accused some party members of misrepresenting INEC’s position to serve personal interests.
Woyengikuro dismissed claims that INEC had advised the party not to recognise the signature of the Acting National Secretary, Arc. Setonji Koshoedo, describing them as false and misleading.
The PDP Chieftain slammed unnamed party members of fuelling confusion by attempting to downgrade the NEC meeting to an ‘expanded caucus’ session.
“They’re claiming INEC said this or that, but we’ve just heard that INEC has denied making any such statements.
“Doesn’t it make you wonder who’s behind this confusion? The people causing this nonsense are now trying to change the meeting’s purpose, citing INEC as their justification. This is unacceptable,” he said.
Woyengikuro called on Damagum to clarify what INEC purportedly told him during the party’s 100th NEC meeting scheduled for today.
“He (Damagum) should come to the meeting and explain to us exactly what INEC told him. Meanwhile, the NGO, Initiative for Ethics and Value Orientation, that wrote to INEC has received a response confirming that the electoral commission never made such statements.
”This response is all over social media and in the public domain. There’s no room for ambiguity here,” Woyengikuro added
Damagum Disowns PDP Spokesman’s Rebuttal
The crisis intensified after Damagum disowned a public statement made by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who had earlier dismissed INEC’s stance as meddling in party affairs.
Instead, Damagum stuck to his guns, reaffirming Anyanwu’s return and ...ponement of the NEC session, a decision swiftly rejected by 11 NWC members.
Meanwhile, staff at the PDP national secretariat staged a walkout in protest against Anyanwu, whom they accused of being a “destabilising force.”
The Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, has confirmed that the PDP’s 100th NEC meeting will proceed as scheduled today, June 30, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
“The meeting was unanimously scheduled during the 99th NEC session held on May 27, 2025, and is binding on all party organs,” Arapaja said.
He dismissed reports that the meeting had been converted to a “Special Expanded National Caucus” session as “unauthorised and unconstitutional.”
“There’s no such provision in the PDP Constitution. The expanded caucus meeting being pushed by some individuals does not exist in our guidelines and cannot take any binding decisions for the party,” he warned.
Agenda: Zoning Report, Convention Planning Top Priorities
According to Arapaja, today’s NEC meeting will receive critical reports from the zoning committee and the National Convention Organising Committee, ahead of the August 28–30, 2025 PDP National Convention.
He assured party members nationwide of the NWC’s dedication to internal democracy and due process.
“The PDP is built on strict adherence to the rule of law. These values must be protected and preserved at all times,” he said.
Despite fierce resistance from party leadership, Senator Anyanwu continues to enjoy the backing of powerful allies, including Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Party insiders allege that Anyanwu’s return is part of a larger political calculation ahead of 2027, though critics within the PDP have warned that such moves risk destabilising the party.
While Senator Anyanwu has summoned a parallel “expanded caucus meeting,” invitations were limited and exclusive, further fuelling suspicion of factional takeover.