PDP Crisis Worsens as Factions Hold Parallel NEC Meetings Amid Leadership Battle

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is once again embroiled in a deepening leadership crisis as two factions prepare to hold parallel National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings today. This dramatic split follows fierce disagreements over party leadership legitimacy and compliance with procedural guidelines demanded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The crisis reached a boiling point after Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, controversially reinstated Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary and postponed the NEC meeting originally scheduled for today. In defiance, the National Working Committee (NWC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) rejected Damagum’s decision, insisting the NEC meeting must hold as planned.

Senator Anyanwu, bolstered by his reinstatement, has called for an expanded caucus meeting parallel to the NEC gathering organized by the NWC. The duelling meetings underscore the fragile unity within the party, as power blocs jostle for dominance amid fears the divisions could destabilize the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Governors and Party Elders Take Sides as Tension Escalates

As the crisis unfolds, prominent figures within the PDP have started taking sides. Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, after a closed-door meeting with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara; and South East Zonal Chairman, Chief Ali Odefa, declared his full support for the position of the NWC, BoT, and the South East Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC).

Mbah emphasized that the party’s constitution must guide its processes, warning that any deviation would only exacerbate the PDP’s internal fractures. “The unity and stability of our party are paramount. We stand by the organs recognized by our constitution—the NWC, BoT, and ZEC—to navigate this crisis,” he said.

Meanwhile, Anyanwu, backed by some influential party figures including Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, circulated a notice for his expanded caucus meeting. This meeting, described as strictly by invitation, includes statutory members of the national caucus, deputy national officers, BoT members, state chairmen, and other stakeholders—an apparent attempt to rival the legitimacy of the official NEC meeting.

INEC’s Role Sparks Legal and Procedural Disputes

At the heart of the controversy lies the role of INEC in determining procedural compliance within the PDP. The electoral body initially rejected the notification for the NEC meeting because it was signed solely by Acting National Chairman Damagum without the required co-signature of the National Secretary, as stipulated in INEC’s 2022 regulations.

This procedural snag gave rise to conflicting interpretations. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, issued a statement insisting that INEC has no jurisdiction over the internal affairs of political parties. However, in a surprising twist, Damagum disowned Ologunagba’s statement, calling it unauthorized and further deepening the rift within the party hierarchy.

A counter-narrative soon emerged when the NGO, Initiative for Ethics and Value Orientation, obtained a formal response from INEC denying it ever issued any advisory invalidating the signature of Acting National Secretary Arc. Setonji Koshoedo. The letter, signed by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony, stated unequivocally that the purported document was not in the commission’s records—effectively clearing Koshoedo and negating Damagum’s justification for postponing the NEC.

Protests, Accusations, and Power Plays Rock the PDP

Amid the confusion, tensions spilled into the open when PDP staff at the national secretariat staged a walkout, protesting Anyanwu’s reinstatement and accusing him of being a divisive figure. Chants of “No to destabilization” echoed through the party’s headquarters, highlighting the intensity of grassroots opposition to the leadership crisis.

Daniel Woyengikuro, the party’s National Financial Secretary, added fuel to the fire during an interview, accusing certain unnamed party members of orchestrating confusion by falsely attributing positions to INEC. “They are trying to downgrade the NEC meeting to an expanded caucus by invoking INEC as a smokescreen. It’s deception, plain and simple,” he asserted.

Woyengikuro further challenged Acting Chairman Damagum to appear before the NEC and explain what INEC supposedly told him. “There is now written evidence from INEC that they never made those claims. The time for hiding behind false narratives is over,” he declared, emphasizing that the party constitution clearly stipulates that in the absence of a substantive national secretary, the deputy should act.

Battle Lines Drawn as PDP Stares at a Defining Moment

With both factions refusing to back down, the PDP stands on the brink of a major implosion. The National Working Committee remains adamant that the NEC meeting will hold as planned, describing it as a continuation of an earlier adjourned session—a move they argue is fully constitutional and legitimate.

Conversely, Damagum’s loyalists, led by Senator Anyanwu, are forging ahead with their expanded caucus meeting, claiming it holds equal weight. The sharp division has fueled concerns among party faithful and political observers that unless resolved swiftly, the PDP risks fracturing irreparably ahead of future electoral contests.

As the 100th NEC meeting convenes today—amid court threats, security concerns, and escalating rhetoric—the outcome could determine not only the party’s immediate leadership direction but also its viability as Nigeria’s foremost opposition platform.