Internal Dispute Erupts in PDP Over Anyanwu

Besides, there is uncertainty over the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting billed for Monday.

Two developments yesterday exposed the underbelly of the PDP crisis.

Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu had been reinstated as the National Secretary.

He also said Monday’s NEC meeting had been put off.

But another group of leaders, comprising Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja and other key members of the NWC, repudiated the position expressed by Damagum.

Damagum’s statement followed the advice by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the main opposition party to follow the guidelines on the issuance of the notice for the NEC meeting.

Eleven of the 19-member NWC, led by Arapaja, denounced the decision, saying that it contradicted the resolution of the 99th NEC that the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, should act as Secretary.

Also, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, chided Damagum for waiting for directives from the electoral commission before implementing the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed Anyanwu as secretary.

Wike, who spoke in Abuja during the inauguration of some projects, said the issue of reinstating Anyanwu did not arise because the secretary was not an appointee of the Chairman, but a party officer who has been working since his election.

‘Reason Anyanwu was reinstated’

Explaining the reason for reinstating Anyanwu, the chairman said it was the outcome of the meeting between the party leadership and INEC.

Damagum, who spoke with reporters at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, said: “After due consultation and everything, we thought it’s a bitter pill and we have to swallow it.”

He said the party had no option but to ask Anyanwu to return to his office, adding that the observation by the electoral agency cannot be dismissed with a wave of the hand.

With Damagum at the news conference were the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed; Chairman of PDP National Assembly Caucus, Senator Abba Moro; House of Representatives Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda; Chairman of PDP Strategy Committee, Senator Bukola Saraki; former governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson, and some members of the NWC.

Damagum also explained that the PDP/INEC meeting necessitated the postponement of the NEC meeting.

He said: “We met with some of our governors, the Governors Forum, members of the Board of Trustees and the PDP Caucus in the National Assembly.

“Today (yesterday), I convened a critical meeting of the PDP NWC, though at short notice. We had an extensive meeting, and critical issues were discussed. We know where our problem is.

“INEC is our regulator and they have told us their position as it is; as it affects the issue surrounding the National Secretary.

“We are all aware that the National Secretary is a signatory of this party; it is a critical position that he holds.

“As such, we have decided to abide by the advice they gave us, especially as we have a very, very important election before us, that is, the FCT local government election, and we are running out of time.

“So, we have no option but to abide by the decision.”

Damagum urged the party faithful to show understanding about the difficult yet important decision.

He added: “The survival of the party is more than all of us, more than everything that you feel that you know and yearn for so.

“I want to use this opportunity to tell you that we will do the right thing, and it is the decision of most members of this party, led by the organs of the party.

“The leaders of the organs of the party will have an expanded caucus so that we can discuss extensively the way forward. That would be on the 30th, and we will issue the notice as there is not going to be NEC, but an expanded caucus.

“INEC told us that they do not have any notice of a NEC meeting from us because I was the only person who signed, and we have not followed the guidelines.

“So, the expanded caucus meeting will make a decision for NEC as well as all critical issues brought before us and leading to our national convention.

“Now,  Anyanwu will resume as the National Secretary. I think that’s the most important thing.”

Wike: Anyanwu has always been secretary

Wike said it was erroneous for the chairman to announce a reinstatement, stressing that Anyanwu never vacated the office of secretary.

He said: “I heard it when the acting national chairman of PDP was directing the National Secretary to resume.

“The National Secretary is not your appointee. The National Secretary has been doing his work. So, you can’t call him to resume.

“The National Secretary has been working and will continue to work. He doesn’t require anybody to direct him to resume work.

“If it’s because of your ignorance of the law, too bad. The law does not recognise ignorance. That you’re ignorant of the law is not an excuse.

“I feel so bad when people can now move to INEC, for INEC to direct them to obey the Supreme Court judgment, it’s most unfortunate.”

Wike urged Damagum to seek guidance instead of acting out of ego or relying solely on allocations, adding that money is not the solution to every problem.

He said: “I will not be a party of those who will shoot themselves. When you don’t know something, ask the right person. Not because of ego, not because of oh, I’m receiving a monthly allocation. Money does not solve all the problems.

“There’s nothing you can do about it. If you want to learn, come and meet us, we will teach you how to go about it.”

Damgum led some governors and other leaders of the party to a meeting with INEC chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday.

Prof. Yakubu advised the PDP chieftains who wanted him to guide the opposition party on who is their National Secretary, to take a decision based on the Supreme Court judgment.

He said it was for the party to decide and not the electoral agency.

Thereafter, Damagum promised to meet with party stakeholders to take a stance.

It was learnt that party stakeholders met all through Tuesday night, where they agreed to allow Anyanwu to continue in office.

NWC divided over reinstatement

According to the 11 NWC members who opposed Anyanwu’s reinstatement, the chairman took the decision without recourse to Section 31[3] of the PDP Constitution.

The aggrieved party officers also insisted in a statement that the PDP NEC meeting would be held on June 30.

“The attention of the NWC of the PDP has been drawn to a press briefing by Ambassador Damagum, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, 30th June 2025.

“The Acting National Chairman also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party, contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to 100th NEC meeting.

“The pronouncements by the Acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the NEC under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).

“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention.

“By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday 30th June, 2025 is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.

“Furthermore, the claim by Amb. Damagum that Sen. Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is therefore misleading, being contrary to the resolution of NEC.

“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, 30th June, 2025 has not been cancelled or postponed. “

Signatories to the statement are: Arapaja;  Koshoedo (Deputy National Secretary), Ahmed Yayari Mohammed (National Treasurer), Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel (National Auditor), Debo Ologunagba (National Publicity Secretary), Woyengikuro Daniel (National Financial Secretary), Chief Ali Odefa (National Vice Chairman (Southeast),  Emmanuel Ogidi (Caretaker Committee Chairman (Southsouth), Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm (National Woman Leader),  Senator Hayatu Bello Gwarzo and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese (National Vice Chairman (Southwest).

The statement indicates a division, not just in the NWC but also in the PDP Governors’ Forum.

Arapaja is a known supporter of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde. The governor is known to be opposed to Anyanwu but favours Sunday Ude-Okoye as National Secretary.

It was at a meeting of the Governors Forum he hosted in Ibadan that an arrangement was reached to side-step Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye for Setonji to act as national secretary.

That arrangement was dumped following superior legal advice and the admonition by the INEC chairman.

Suswam: Governors, Damagum are PDP’s  problem

Former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam yesterday accused Damagum and the governors of creating problems for the opposition party.

He said he may quit the PDP, adding: “With what’s going on in the PDP, I have started consultation on which party to move to.”

The former governor, who spoke on a television programme, said the chance of participating in next year’s governorship polls in Ekiti and Osun states by the party is remote.

Suswan, who said these chieftains were bent on destroying the party, hinted that he may leave along with his supporters.

He said Damagum and the governors were not good leaders, lamenting that their actions had led to confusion in the party.

The former governor said the confusion is underscored by the antagonistic statements of the chairman and other members of the NWC.

Suswan said: “The last time I was here, I told you about leadership.  Certain qualities define a good leader: integrity and clarity. The PDP leadership doesn’t have any of these. There’s no integrity in PDP leadership.

“I’m happy that Nyesom Wike mentioned repeatedly that Damagum is not a leader. It’s obvious here.

“What should have happened was that after a meeting with the INEC, a good leader would have met with the NWC to brief them before holding any press conference.

“I believe if he had met with them and agreed on the way to go, no member of the NWC would have gone out there to give a contrary opinion. I am sure they are not in the know of the outcome of the PDP/INEC meeting. That’s not leadership.

“Damagum has been the problem of the PDP. Since he assumed the acting national chairmanship office, the party has been drifting downwards. I have said this without number.

“First and foremost, they breached the provisions of the constitution, which stipulates that he should act for a certain time after which the position of the chairman returns to the Northcentral.

“Now, the magnitude of the confusion is unimaginable.

“We’re supposed to have a NEC meeting. While the chairman is saying one thing about the meeting, other NWC members are saying another thing about the meeting.

“It’s quite unfortunate that people who have benefited from this platform are the ones who are intentionally or unintentionally destroying the party.

“The governors cannot be exonerated from the confusion that has reigned in our party. The same governors, led by Bala Mohammed, met and passed a vote of confidence in the leadership of Damagum.

“So, a lot is going on that we don’t know. And, I believe that there’s more to it than what we see.

“And when you have a leader without clarity with focus and purpose, this is where it will lead us.

“It is very ridiculous that the PDP wrote letters to the INEC with different names as national secretary.

“How can you keep such a person leading a party as big as PDP and expect to get a different result?

“If Damagum, alongside the governors, issued a statement saying that Anyanwu should continue as a National Secretary and other members of the NWC being controlled by these governors, issuing another statement to counter Damagum’s, then, there’s more to it than meets the eye.

“Based on this confusion, we might end up not having a candidate in the Ekiti governorship election in 2026.

“Whether that is intentional, we don’t know. They just want to kill the PDP, and the governors are complicit in it.”