PDP Leadership Crisis Deepens As Ologunagba, Odefa Reject NWC Meeting

The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new turn on Monday as National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and embattled South-East National Vice-Chairman, Ali Odefa, rejected a meeting convened by the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

The party’s leadership tussle has been a sore point before and after the 2023 general elections, with much of the conflict including the National Secretary position.

In 2023, the South-East PDP nominated Sunday Ude-Okoye, a former National Youth Leader, to replace Samuel Anyanwu, who became the party’s governorship candidate for Imo State.

The nomination of Ude-Okoye followed demands for Anyanwu to relinquish his position as National Secretary, a move that has sparked contention.

Naijaonpoint understands that the controversy deepened on December 20, 2024, when the Court of Appeal in Enugu affirmed Ude-Okoye as the legitimate National Secretary, a decision communicated to the party’s leadership on December 24.

However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja issued a restraining order last week, allowing Anyanwu to retain the position until the Supreme Court hears the case.

Amid the legal battles, South-East PDP stakeholders met in Enugu last Friday, where they endorsed Ude-Okoye as the rightful National Secretary.

The endorsement intensified divisions within the party, with some members questioning the National Working Committee’s (NWC) impartiality.

Damagum Calls For Crisis Meeting

In an attempt to address the leadership crisis, acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum scheduled a meeting between the NWC and South-East stakeholders in Abuja on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

According to a source within the party who spoke with Punch, the meeting aims to mobilize support for Anyanwu.

“The meeting will focus on the ongoing crisis over the National Secretary position. Stakeholders have been notified, and some have been mobilized to attend the meeting tomorrow (Tuesday),” the source disclosed on condition of anonymity.

A media invitation, signed by PDP’s Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, confirmed the meeting’s details.

It read, “The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) meeting with critical South-East zonal stakeholders

“Gentlemen of the Press, good evening. The above subject refers, please. Below is as scheduled on Tuesday, 28th of January, 2025 (Tomorrow), at the NEC Hall (Ground Floor), PDP national headquarters, by 02:00 Pm

“Please do attend and punctually too.”

However, in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Monday, PDP Publicity Secretary, Ologunagba, said he was not aware that the NWC had scheduled any meeting.

He stated that if the meeting was intended for reconciliation, those behind it should allow the reconciliation committee led by former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, to address and resolve all issues.

Ologunagba stated, “Well, I am not aware, and there’s no information, and I’m not aware of any meeting by the NWC with the stakeholders of the party in the Southeast Zone of our party.

“I am aware that last Friday, the Zone held a very successful meeting where all critical stakeholders were present, led by the governor of Enugu, Mr. (Peter) Mbah. And they held a successful meeting which was all over the world in the public domain.

“So, if the NWC is going to hold a meeting with any organ of the party or any zone of the party, or any unit of the party, I, as the National Public Secretary, will be aware. For tomorrow’s (today) rumoured meeting, I am not aware of any. There’s no scheduling of any. And to that extent, I will take that as a rumour. The NWC did not approve and did not schedule.

“In any event, if you say the meeting is about reconciliation, there is a reconciliation committee set up by the party, led by former Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and they’re moving around. So, if the agenda is reconciliation, of course, there’s a proper channel to follow, they should allow the committee to work.”

In a related development, the PDP National Vice Chairman for the South East also confirmed that the NWC did not schedule any meeting with South-East Stakeholders.

Odefa, in a statement on Monday, stated, “My attention has been drawn to a purported invitation of critical South East stakeholders of the PDP to a meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday, January 28, 2025

“As the National Vice Chairman (South East) and member of the NWC representing the South East, I hereby authoritatively state that no such meeting is scheduled between the South East stakeholders and the NWC.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP South East has at the Zonal Committee (ZEC) meeting attended by all South East critical stakeholders in Enugu, Enugu State on Friday, January 25, 2025 discussed and unanimously agreed on all matters related to the planned South East Zonal Congress.

“All PDP South East critical stakeholders, staff of the National Secretariat of the PDP and the media should therefore disregard the purported invitation to a meeting of the South East stakeholders with the NWC as no such meeting was scheduled.”