By Charles Pemu As the leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalates, rival factions of the opposition party are poised for a dramatic face-off today, Monday, June 30, 2025, over the controversial 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The turmoil, rooted in internal power struggles and long-simmering disputes, has split the party’s top leadership, with both sides convening parallel meetings in Abuja. While one camp insists on holding the NEC meeting as scheduled, the other advocates a “Special Expanded National Caucus” session instead, sparking confusion and concerns about legitimacy and party unity.
On Sunday, the party’s acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, alongside Anyanwu and key National Working Committee (NWC) members loyal to the former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, met at the PDP headquarters in Wadata Plaza to reaffirm their decision to replace the NEC meeting with a broader Caucus session.
Meanwhile, 11 other NWC members, aligned with the camp of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and backed by governors from Enugu, Bayelsa, Osun, and Zamfara states, countered Damagum’s position. They declared that the NEC meeting, duly scheduled by the 99th NEC on May 27, must proceed as planned.
Leading voices in this bloc include PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, acting National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo, and National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, all of whom reiterated that Koshoedo remains the party’s acting scribe and that the 100th NEC is constitutionally binding.
The Anyanwu Factor
At the heart of the crisis is the tussle over the position of National Secretary. Senator Anyanwu, who previously stepped aside to contest the Imo State governorship election, is being backed for reinstatement by Wike’s loyalists and Damagum, despite opposition from the South East PDP leadership, which insists on retaining Koshoedo as acting secretary.
A fact-finding committee chaired by Taraba State Governor Kefas Agbu had earlier indicated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) still recognizes Anyanwu as the legitimate officeholder. However, INEC later declined to acknowledge a notice of meeting signed only by Damagum, citing PDP’s constitutional requirement for joint signatures from both the chairman and secretary.
Damagum, at a press conference on June 25, announced Anyanwu’s reinstatement and postponed the NEC meeting. He insisted the decision was necessary to “avoid legal complications and ensure party cohesion,” and proposed an Expanded National Caucus meeting instead.
However, his pronouncement was swiftly rebuffed by 11 NWC members and key stakeholders who maintain that only NEC the party’s second-highest decision-making body can decide such issues.
Tensions High Ahead of Crucial Meetings
Multiple sources confirmed that both camps have mobilized members and printed accreditation materials, preparing for what could become duelling gatherings at Wadata Plaza today. The Makinde faction has insisted that only NEC members will be granted access to the official venue.
In a late Sunday night press briefing, Arapaja, flanked by other NWC members, warned that any attempt to substitute the NEC meeting with an “expanded caucus” is unconstitutional.
“There is no provision for an Expanded National Caucus in the PDP Constitution,” Arapaja declared. “The 100th NEC meeting remains scheduled for Monday, June 30, and any effort to derail that resolution is illegal and null.”
The NWC reaffirmed that the NEC meeting would address crucial agenda items, including updates from the Zoning and Convention Planning Committees, ahead of the August 28–30 National Convention.
Divided Stakeholders Voice Positions
From Enugu, Governor Peter Mbah declared solidarity with the NWC and the South East Zonal Executive Committee, warning that the region may reconsider its place in the PDP if its stance on the National Secretary issue continues to be ignored.
In a rare public rebuke, Mbah said, “The position of the South East regarding the National Secretary is sacrosanct. If the PDP continues to overlook this, we reserve the right to review our participation in the party.”
Former BOT Chair Olabode George took a conciliatory tone, telling The PUNCH, “Whether it’s a NEC or Caucus meeting, I will attend. We must confront this crisis face-to-face and save the PDP.”
Former Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan also emphasized that the NEC’s resolution from May 27 should not be undermined. “NEC made this decision by motion. The party must respect its own highest organ, or risk an existential crisis,” he said.
Wike’s Camp Insists on Caucus
Meanwhile, loyalists to Wike maintain that today’s meeting is a Special Expanded National Caucus, not a NEC gathering. A party official from that bloc stated, “An expanded caucus allows broader input from non-NEC members, which is what the party needs now—not a divisive NEC session.”
Senator Anyanwu issued a formal invitation to the Expanded Caucus meeting, listing attendees including statutory caucus members, ex-governors, former NWC members, state chairmen, and National Assembly PDP caucus members. Entry is strictly by invitation.
APC Reacts
In a swift reaction, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) mocked the PDP’s internal chaos, labeling it a dying party.
APC’s Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, said, “We are pleased with the implosion. The PDP cannot manage itself, let alone manage a country. It’s a party in terminal decline.”
Looking Ahead
As the PDP prepares for what could be its most consequential NEC or Caucus meeting since 2015, stakeholders and observers alike are watching closely. Whether today’s events mark a step toward reconciliation or further descent into disunity may well determine the party’s fate ahead of the 2027 general elections.