*Opposition party’s national secretary tussle still unresolved
*Calabar south-south congress legal, says elected executives
*Party’s national secretariat kicks, rejects congress
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
All eyes are now on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after a successful National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
While the APC held its NEC meeting this Wednesday, after over two years, the last time the PDP had its NEC meeting was on April 18, 2024.
This was as the leadership of PDP, South-South Zone, has said that its last congress held in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, was legal because its National Vice Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih’s suspension has been lifted.
But in a post-congress statement, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, insisted that the meeting was not recognised.
“The PDP states in clear terms that it has not conducted its South-South Zonal Congress, neither is it in any way involved in the said gathering in Calabar,” Ologunagba said in a statement.
It’s expected that since the APC could beat the odds against it and hold a successful NEC where a vote of confidence was passed on the leadership of the party and its zoning arrangements confirmed in favour of the North-west, that the PDP should brace the odds and do the same.
So far, the acting National Chairman of PDP, Amb. Iliya Damagum and the governors elected on the platform of the party had mandated that a NEC meeting should be held on March 13.
Since the last NEC meeting of the party in April 2024, the struggle had been to remove Damagum and allow the North-central zone complete the tenure of office of Iyorcha Ayu who was suspended and later resigned.
But within the period, an Abuja High Court restrained PDP from removing Damagum as national chairman pending the completion of the tenure in December 2025.
As at press time, it is not known if this court order has been removed or set aside. That being the case, even if NEC holds, the removal of Damagum and his replacement may not be on agenda.
Again, the lingering leadership crisis within the party has cast doubt on whether the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will be held as scheduled in March.
Legal challenges also loom large, as multiple court orders regarding the legitimacy of Damagum’s position add another layer of complexity to the party’s decision-making process.
Despite reassurances from the party’s National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu, that the NEC meeting will proceed as planned, factional divisions within the National Working Committee (NWC) and ongoing legal challenges remain significant obstacles.
For the NEC meeting to hold, the NWC of the party must meet to set an agenda. Since this year, the NWC has not been able to meet.
The last time, the NWC met virtually was dubbed ‘mere whatsapp’.This is merely due to national secretaryship tussle between Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye.
Also, as part of preparations for the NEC, the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be notified of the NEC.
In this regard, a letter must be sent to INEC as a regulatory body to inform it of the meeting. But the question is who will countersign the letter to INEC.
Statutorily, the national secretary must sign alongside Damagum. But between Anyanwu and Okoye who will sign the letter to INEC.
The NEC meeting, initially scheduled for October 2024 and later rescheduled for November 2024 before being postponed indefinitely, is considered crucial for addressing key issues affecting the party.
These include reviewing the leadership structure, resolving internal conflicts, and formulating strategies for upcoming elections.
At the centre of the leadership crisis is acting National Chairman, Damagum, whose position has been a source of controversy.
Calls for his resignation, particularly from the PDP Governors Forum have intensified amid allegations of indecisiveness and an inability to bridge the growing divisions within the party.
Efforts have been made to facilitate Damagum’s exit through political solutions, including the possibility of nominating a new chairman from the North Central region.
These factional struggles have further complicated the party’s internal dynamics, with competing camps loyal to prominent figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
These divisions have made consensus-building challenging and have fueled suspensions and counter-suspensions among party officials.
As the highest decision-making body of the party, the NEC meeting, if it takes place, is expected to address key issues such as constitutional amendments, electoral strategies, party unity, and policy direction.
However, failure to resolve the ongoing leadership crisis and factional disputes could hinder the party’s preparations for upcoming elections and its ability to present a united front to the electorate.
With the March 2025 date approaching, stakeholders worry that the PDP faces a critical test of its capacity to overcome internal challenges and chart a cohesive path forward.
A senior party member told THISDAY that without decisive efforts to tackle the root causes of its internal divisions, the PDP risks further fragmentation and a decline in its electoral prospects.
On the legality of PDP South-south Calabar congress, what could be seen as a set back to Wike and co travellers, the directorate of mobilisation and organisation has rejected the outcome of the South-south congress that took place in Calabar last week.
In a letter which is the report of the outcome addressed to the National Secretary, Anyanwu, dated February 27, 2025, was marked rejected by the PDP Directorate of Mobilisation and Organisation.
The report was signed by Dan Orbih as Vice National Chairman and George Turnah as Secretary, but upon presentation, it was marked rejected by the mobilisation and organisation directorate
Opponents of the exercise argued that it was not properly convened because Orbih was serving suspension slammed on him by the National Working Committee of the party for alleged anti-party activities.
However, reacting to the alleged illegality of the congress, Orbih who convened the meeting, said his suspension was lifted through a letter issued by PDP National Working Committee (NWC).
The letter, dated October 7, 2024, was signed by Anyanwu, the party’s National Secretary.
The letter which was cited by THISDAY was entitled ‘Recall from Suspension’.
It read in parts: Sequel to the resolution of the National Working Committee at its 586th meeting of Wednesday July 10, 2024 to suspend you from all NWC activities.
“A committee set-up to investigate your alleged involvement in anti-party activities.
“I write to convey the decision of the NWC at its 592nd meeting to reinstate you and all the privileges as the National Vice Chairman, South-South with immediate effect.
‘’The decision was reached after the committee cleared you of the allegations against you.
‘’The National Working Committee regrets all the inconveniences you may have suffered throughout the period of the suspension.
‘’Please accept the assurances of our highest regards while we expect your presence in the forthcoming NWC meetings.
It would be recalled that in spite of protests by the national leadership of PDP, the South-south on February 22 went ahead with its scheduled congress in Calabar.
It has argued that the national body had no powers to stop the congress, which it said was constitutionally convened.
