Wike vs Makinde: Tensions mount as PDP holds NEC meeting today
As the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party deepens over the position of National Secretary and the disputed 100th National Executive Committee meeting scheduled for Monday (today), a major showdown appears imminent as party leaders are at odds, with rival factions planning to hold separate NEC and National Caucus meetings today in Abuja.
Credible sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation to speak on the issue, told The PUNCH that rival factions were actively mobilising and preparing to attend the separate meetings.
A reliable party source, said the Board of Trustees was also scheduled to meet today amid the ongoing turmoil.
Our correspondent gathered that on Sunday afternoon in Wadata, acting National Chairman Umar Damagum; embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); Vice Chairman (North West), Senator Bello Gwarzo; and two other members of the National Working Committee met and reaffirmed their position that an expanded National Caucus meeting should be held instead of the NEC.
In response on Sunday evening in Wadata Plaza, majority of the NWC members, including Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja, National Vice Chairman (South East), Ali Odefa; South East Caretaker Chairman, Emmanuel Ogidi; National Woman Leader, Amina Darasimi; acting National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo; National Auditor, Okechukwu Obiechin; National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba; National Financial Secretary, Woyengikuro Daniel; and National Vice Chairman (South West), Ajisafe Toyese insisted that the NEC meeting would go ahead today with Koshoedo remaining as acting National Secretary.
The camps of Governor Seyi Makinde (Oyo) — which includes Governors Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), 11 members of the National Working Committee and other senior party figures, also insisted that the NEC meeting must take place today as originally scheduled. This group is also firmly against the return of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.
On the opposing side, camp of former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike — including Governors Caleb Muftwang (Plateau), Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Adamu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, and National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN) — are advocating for Anyanwu’s reinstatement and for the NEC meeting to be postponed.
The PDP has continued to grapple with internal discord since its loss of power in 2015, facing leadership battles, mass defections, and unresolved congress issues in several key states.
To stabilise the party, Koshoedo was earlier appointed as acting National Secretary.
However, a fact-finding committee, led by Taraba State Governor Kefas Agbu, revealed that INEC still officially recognised Senator Anyanwu as the legitimate holder of the office.
Following this, the 99th NEC had agreed to schedule the 100th NEC meeting for June 30, and Damagum communicated this to INEC through a letter dated May 30.
INEC, however, declined the notification, stating that under PDP’s internal procedures, such letters must be co-signed by both the National Chairman and National Secretary. INEC advised the party to comply with its constitutionally mandated processes.
Amid the growing tension, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated at a press conference that INEC’s role was limited to receiving party notifications and not interfering in internal affairs.
However, Damagum distanced the party from Ologunagba’s remarks, labeling them as personal views lacking broader consultation and describing them as premature and regrettable.
This deepening rift became more evident just a day after Damagum led a delegation of party leaders to a high-level fact-finding meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja.
Speaking at a press conference on June 25 at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, Damagum announced the reinstatement of Senator Anyanwu as National Secretary and the postponement of the party’s 100th NEC meeting.
He described the move as a tough but necessary decision backed by the majority of party stakeholders, adding thay Expanded National Caucus will hold June 30th.
Accompanied by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and other top party figures, Damagum announced that an expanded National Caucus meeting would now be held on June 30, replacing the earlier scheduled NEC meeting.
Meanwhile, six deputy national officers of the PDP — 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) — endorsed Anyanwu’s return.
In a statement released June 25 they hailed his reinstatement as a victory for the party and affirmed their support for the June 30 National Caucus meeting.
In response, 11 out of 18 NWC members rejected Anyanwu’s reinstatement and reiterated their commitment to holding the NEC meeting on June 30 as scheduled.
However, the 11 NWC members opposed to Anyanwu, in a separate statement on Wednesday, stood their ground, insisting that the NEC meeting would proceed as initially planned on June 30.
The NWC 11 stated, “Furthermore, the claim by Amb. Damagum that Sen. Samuel 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.”
A top party source told The PUNCH that majority of the NWC members and other critical stakeholders have made preparations to have the 1OOth NEC today as scheduled.
The source, who belongs to Makinde’s camp, stated, “It is a matter of survival for the major opposition party in Nigeria. PDP is bigger than any individual, and the most supreme organ of the party after the National Convention is NEC. And the 99th NEC on May 27 scheduled the 100th NEC for June 30.
“As we speak, we have printed all necessary documents needed for accreditation. We have made all necessary preparations to ensure that tomorrow’s NEC meeting will be a success.
“We understand some people are making efforts to stall it, but we are ready to uphold our party’s constitution and ensure that the party survives, so no matter what we are ready.
“So, in line with the 99th NEC schedule, we have sent out reminders and invitations to our people for the PDP 100th NEC. And only NEC members will be allowed access to the venue. Every other issue will be resolved there.”
Addressing a press conference on Sunday night, PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Arapaja, flanked by other NWC members, insisted that the 100th NEC would hold today.
He stated, “We have called you to, through you, further update all members of the PDP and the general public on the activities of the Party especially with regard to the 100th meeting of the NEC statutorily scheduled for tomorrow, Monday, 30th June, 2025 and the National Convention scheduled for Thursday 28th to Saturday, 30th August, 2025.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NWC assures all party members that the 100th NEC meeting will proceed as scheduled tomorrow Monday, 30th June, 2025 (today) at the NEC Hall of the Wadata Plaza, PDP National Secretariat, Abuja.
“The 100th NEC meeting will among other things receive updates on the activities of the Zoning Committee and the National Convention Organizing Committee.
“As you are aware, the 100th meeting was unanimously scheduled by NEC at its 99th meeting held on Tuesday, 27th May, 2025.
“By virtue of Section 31(3) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) the Monday, 30th June, 2025 date for the 100th NEC meeting is binding on all Organs and members, and as such no Organ, group or officer of the Party has the power to alter, change, vary, veto or convert the already convened NEC meeting.
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