NEC crisis: Makinde bloc revolts as INEC verdict tears PDP apart
The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party intensified on Wednesday as Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike clashed over the scheduled date for the party’s 100th National Executive Committee meeting and the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
Makinde’s camp, which includes Governors Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), 11 NWC members, and several party chieftains, insists the NEC meeting must hold on June 30 as planned.
They are also opposed to Anyanwu’s return as National Secretary.
In contrast, Wike’s allies — Governors Caleb Muftwang (Plateau), Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Adamu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, and National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN) — are pushing for Anyanwu’s reinstatement and a postponement of the NEC meeting.
This deepening division comes just 24 hours after Damagum led top party officials to a high-level fact-finding session with the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja.
During a press conference on Wednesday at the party’s secretariat in Abuja, Damagum announced the reinstatement of Senator Anyanwu as National Secretary and the postponement of the party’s 100th NEC.
He described the decision to cancel the NEC meeting as difficult but one that had the backing of the majority of party members.
Responding, 11 out of 19 members of the National Working Committee rejected the reinstatement of Anyanwu as the party’s national secretary and insisted on the June 30th NEC.
PDP has been beset by persistent internal crises since losing power in 2015. These challenges include leadership disputes, wave of defections, and unresolved congress issues in key regions.
To manage the instability, the PDP appointed Setonji Koshoedo as acting National Secretary. However, a fact-finding committee led by Taraba State Governor Kefas Agbu revealed that the INEC still officially recognised Anyanwu as the legitimate National Secretary.
Based on this, the party’s 99th NEC had scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for June 30 and Damagum notified INEC via a letter dated May 30.
However, INEC rejected the letter, citing the PDP’s internal rules, which require that such correspondence be jointly signed by both the National Chairman and the National Secretary, and urged compliance with proper procedures.
Reacting to the controversy, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated during a media briefing on Sunday that INEC’s role was limited to acknowledging notifications of party activities like congresses and conventions, not approving or controlling internal affairs.
However, in a statement issued on Monday, Damagum dissociated the party from Ologunagba’s remarks, describing them as personal opinions made without broad consultation.
However, flanked by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and other key party figures, Damagum stated that the PDP would now hold an expanded National Caucus meeting on June 30 in place of the previously scheduled NEC meeting.
The acting National Chairman stated, “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 will discuss extensively the way forward to NEC. That would be on the 30th, we will issue the notice, there is not going to be NEC, but an expanded caucus.
“As it is, like they (INEC) told us, they don’t have any notice of NEC meeting from us because I was the only person that signed, and we have not followed the guidelines. So, that caucus (meeting) will take a decision for NEC as well as all critical issues brought before us and leading to our national convention.
“Anyanwu will resume as the National Secretary. I think that’s the most important thing.”
Damagum described the decisions as difficult but necessary sacrifice for the advancement of the PDP.
He stated, “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 election and we are running out of time. So we have no option but to abide by the decision.
“After due consultation and everything, we thought it’s a bitter pill and we have to swallow it. I want to use this opportunity to call on all our party faithful to know that it was a difficult decision. But the survival of the party is more than all of us, more than everything that you feel that you know and yearn for.”
Also speaking, the National Organising Secretary of the PDP Bature said bringing Anyanwu back to office should be seen in the light of obedience to the highest court in the land, which ruled on the matter some weeks ago.
Bature, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, said, “Bowed to Supreme Court’s judgment.”
Meanwhile, national officers of the PDP, who are the deputies of the National Working Committee members, have welcomed the reinstatement of Anyanwu as the party’s secretary.
In a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday, the six national officers, comprising Timothy Osadolor (Deputy National Youth Leader), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Deputy National Publicity Secretary), Okechukwu Osuoha (Deputy National Legal Adviser), Hajia Maryam (Deputy National Woman Leader), Adamu Kamale (Deputy National Financial Secretary) and Chubby Eneh (Deputy National Treasurer) said Anyanwu’s return was victory for the party.
The statement read, “We, the elected deputies of the National Working Committee of our dear party, the PDP, have for some time now, watched as our party is being dragged from one unnecessary crisis to another from within and outside the party by merchants of instability, who thrive best on chaos.
“We had earlier advised that all parties should come down from their high horses and jaw-jaw, rather than going into war, as the war between brothers and sisters cannot produce a victor- everyone loses.
“As custodians of the trust of the Nigerian people that earnestly believe in our party to come, rescue and rebuild Nigeria, we must be seen to be law-abiding in our words and actions. Moreover, it is imperative that a decision has already been taken in the overall best interest of the PDP. The party caucus will be meeting for ratification.
“Consequently, we rise to commend the position of the leadership of the party, led by Umar Damagun, the PDP Governors led by Bala Mohammed, the caucus of the National Assembly, led by Sen Abba Moro, the Sen Abubakar Saraki-led committee, which have deemed it fit to organise an expanded caucus of the party on June 30, with all major organs of the party, and critical stakeholders; following the interaction with INEC, to find a way to resolve the impasse in the party and discuss all issues concerning the party and the processes to the national convention.”
The deputy national officers also commended the NWC “for respecting the Supreme Court judgment the way it has always obeyed all court judgments. It shows consistency and commitment to the rule of law.
“We also call on any stakeholder or group within the party to avail themselves on June 30 for us all to jaw-jaw on the way forward as a family. PDP is our home; we owe it a duty to survive by always doing what is right.”
On his part, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Wike criticised Damagum for instructing Anyanwu to resume duties at the party’s national secretariat.
Speaking on Wednesday during the commissioning of the Arterial Road N20 interchange bridge in Abuja, Wike argued that Damagum does not have the authority to issue such a directive.
He stated, “I watched on national television and heard the acting national chairman directing the national secretary to resume. The national secretary is not your appointee.
Source: Punch
