ABUJA — June 26, 2025
The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) intensified on Wednesday as a fierce power struggle broke out between two major factions, led respectively by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike. At the heart of the dispute are the proposed reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary and a controversial postponement of the party’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

Governor Makinde’s camp, which includes Governors Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), 11 members of the National Working Committee (NWC), and other key party figures, insists that the NEC meeting must hold as scheduled on June 30. The group also opposes Anyanwu’s return to the position of National Secretary.

On the other side, Minister Wike’s allies — including Governors Caleb Muftwang (Plateau), Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Adamu Fintiri (Adamawa), and Bauchi’s Bala Mohammed — are pushing for Anyanwu’s reinstatement and a postponement of the NEC meeting. Their position gained traction after the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, announced at a press briefing in Abuja that the NEC meeting had been cancelled and replaced with an expanded National Caucus meeting set for the same date.

Damagum justified the move by citing advice from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which reportedly rejected the PDP’s NEC notification because it was not co-signed by both the National Chairman and National Secretary, as required by the party’s constitution.

Split Within the Ranks

The announcement drew swift backlash from within the PDP. Eleven out of the nineteen NWC members publicly rejected both the cancellation of the NEC meeting and the reinstatement of Senator Anyanwu. In a strongly worded statement, the group said Damagum’s actions contradicted the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which had referred all matters relating to the National Secretary’s office to the upcoming 100th NEC meeting.

“No individual or group within the PDP has the authority to override a resolution of the NEC,” the NWC 11 declared, citing the party’s 2017 amended constitution.

Legal, Procedural, and Political Firestorm

The party had earlier appointed Setonji Koshoedo as acting National Secretary amid legal uncertainty surrounding Anyanwu’s status. However, a fact-finding committee led by Governor Kefas Agbu found that INEC still officially recognised Anyanwu as the legitimate officeholder, citing a recent Supreme Court judgment.

Following this, Damagum reinstated Anyanwu and called off the NEC meeting, citing INEC’s position and the party’s internal rules.

“This is a difficult but necessary decision to safeguard the survival of our party,” Damagum said, flanked by Governors and party heavyweights including Bala Mohammed and former Senate President Bukola Saraki.

However, his decision has fueled accusations of partisanship and disregard for established party processes.

Wike Slams Leadership

Minister Wike, addressing a public event in Abuja on Wednesday, lashed out at Damagum’s leadership, accusing him of lacking the authority to direct Anyanwu’s return or cancel an NEC meeting.

“You don’t direct the National Secretary to resume. That position is not your appointee,” Wike said, dismissing the leadership’s visit to INEC as “ignorant and shameful.”

He continued, “A political party now goes to INEC asking what to do? If you don’t know the law, come to us, we’ll teach you.”

Support for Damagum Grows — and Fractures

Despite the opposition, Damagum’s faction continues to receive internal support. Six deputy national officers — including Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor and Deputy National Legal Adviser Okechukwu Osuoha — issued a statement endorsing Anyanwu’s return and the expanded caucus plan, calling it a “victory for the party” and a move toward lawful resolution.

Meanwhile, elder statesman and PDP Board of Trustees member, Chief Bode George, sought to downplay speculation that Wike was dictating terms to the party. He maintained that final decisions would rest with the NEC.

“Let us meet at NEC,” George said. “That is when you will know who is winning and who is losing. The issue of Anyanwu’s return has several connotations, but nothing is final until NEC decides.”

Looking Ahead to June 30

As the party grapples with deepening divisions, all eyes are on June 30 — a date now mired in uncertainty. While Damagum maintains that an expanded caucus meeting will replace the NEC gathering, the NWC 11 and Makinde’s camp insist that the 100th NEC meeting will proceed as scheduled.

Observers say the outcome of the impending showdown could define the future of the PDP as it attempts to reposition itself ahead of the 2027 general elections.

A party chieftain and Wike ally, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, summed up the high stakes, saying, “This is the best opportunity for the leaders of the party to come together and resolve the crises. The PDP must not be run by the whims and caprices of a few.”

As Nigeria’s main opposition party stares down its biggest internal test since losing power in 2015, party loyalists, legal experts, and political stakeholders alike await a final verdict on the leadership crisis — and on who truly holds the reins of the PDP.