PDP Groups Resolve Differences, Reinstate Anyanwu As National Secretary At NEC Meeting

THE National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at its 100th meeting on Monday, June 30, reinstated Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.
Addressing journalists after the NEC meeting in Abuja, PDP’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, announced that Anyanwu has officially returned to his position, adding that the 101st NEC meeting has been scheduled for July 23 to finalise arrangements for the upcoming national convention.
The main opposition party has been grappling with internal crisis since its primary election ahead of the 2023 presidential election. The polarisation got deeper after the leadership wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on June 24, this year, concerning the position of national secretary.
Damagum, on Sunday, June 29, convened a meeting at Wadata Plaza national secretariat with Anyanwu; National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); Vice Chairman (Northwest), Senator Bello Gwarzo; and two other National Working Committee (NWC) members, where they reaffirmed moves to hold an expanded National Caucus meeting at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 30, as well as their recognition of Anyanwu as the party’s duly elected National Secretary.
However, a faction of the NWC also met at the party’s headquarters, attended by Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja; National Vice Chairman (Southeast), Ali Odefa; Southeast 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).
The meeting, according to Ajisafe Toyese, insisted that the NEC meeting should proceed as scheduled, with Koshoedo as acting National Secretary, further polarising the party.
Another group loyal to Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, supported by Governors Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), 11 NWC members, and other influential party leaders, pushed for the NEC meeting to go ahead as planned and opposed Anyanwu’s return as National Secretary.
But the faction led by former Rivers State governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, supported by Governors Caleb Muftwang (Plateau), Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Adamu Fintiri (Adamawa) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), as well as Damagum, Bature, and Ajibade, okayed Anyanwu’s return, urging a delay of the NEC meeting.
The scheduling of conflicting meetings by both factions at Wadata Plaza further heightened tensions within the party.
However, following presence of the Police and other security agencies at strategic positions around the venue of the meeting- Wadata Plaza- the BoT initially relocated its meeting venue to the Yar’Adua Centre, citing security concerns.
However, the FCT Police Command, denied sealing off the secretariat, with its spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, saying in a statement that officers were only deployed to maintain law and order.
PDP governors, joined by members of the NWC, Board of Trustees (BoT) and several National Assembly members convened an emergency meeting at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, where they agreed to go ahead with the 100th NEC meeting as earlier scheduled by the 99th NEC.
Later at the end of an expanded caucus meeting of the NEC held at the party’s national secretariat, after an earlier Police siege, Damagum, while addressing journalists, stated: “I am here to brief you on the outcome of our interaction with NEC as regards the National Secretary.
“We’ve all combined in one, we were all together, and we all agree that Anyanwu will continue to act as National Secretary.
“We also agreed to bring up the issue of the convention in the next NEC, which is slated for the 23rd of next month (July).
“At that time, we will be able to convene a proper NEC, where myself and Anyanwu will sign, to fulfill the regulatory requirement of INEC in convening meetings.
“So, to our detractors who thought this meeting would go on course or perhaps be the end of the party, the beauty of the PDP is that it is the only party in this country that has and knows the internal mechanism to solve its own problems and run freely.
“As you can see, all our governors attended the meeting; all members of the NWC were on the same page. You will not be seeing all these press releases and counter-press releases.”