Amid escalating internal strife, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has summoned an emergency meeting today (Wednesday).
Naija News reports that the scheduled meeting followed a deadlocked session with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over procedural disputes and conflicting communications on the party’s leadership.
A reliable party source confirmed the emergency session to Punch, revealing that the move follows INEC’s refusal to recognise the party’s notification for its 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, citing procedural irregularities.
During a high-level meeting on Tuesday between PDP governors, NWC members, and INEC officials, INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu called for a resolution to the party’s internal inconsistencies, especially regarding the position of National Secretary.
Yakubu stated, “In the last couple of months, we received letters from the party saying that one Udeh Okoye was the secretary. Thereafter, the party changed its mind and said it was Samuel Anyanwu. Then Setonji Koshoedo. And again, back to Anyanwu.
“The last letter we received from the party was signed only by the chairman without the secretary, which violates our procedural guidelines.”
Yakubu added that while INEC remains open to dialogue, the party must abide by its constitution and electoral laws. He explained that PDP’s previous 99 NEC meetings were properly communicated through letters jointly signed by both the chairman and the secretary, the absence of which triggered the current impasse.
Addressing journalists after the closed-door meeting, PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, described the interaction as “fruitful” and pledged to brief party stakeholders before issuing a formal response.
“We will go back and meet with our larger stakeholders and disseminate all our discussions. We will come out with a position,” Damagum said.
Earlier in his opening remarks, he acknowledged that the confusion over the National Secretary position, exacerbated by prolonged litigation and court rulings, had made communication with INEC problematic.
“We are here to interact sincerely with you off-camera so that it will guide us when we get back to have a position,” he added.
PDP Spokesman Under Fire Over INEC Remarks
The crisis took a fresh twist after PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, declared on Sunday that INEC had no authority to dictate how the party conducts its internal meetings.
“INEC has no role in the regular meetings of the NWC or NEC. These are internal party matters as established by the Supreme Court,” Ologunagba said.
However, Damagum on Monday distanced the party from the comments, describing them as “personal opinions, regrettable and premature.”
“Those were not the views of the party. The remarks were made without proper consultation,” he stated in an official communication.
At the centre of the dispute is the power tussle between Sunday Udeh-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu over the PDP National Secretary seat, a battle said to be heavily influenced by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who backs Anyanwu.
To quell tensions, the party appointed Setonji Koshoedo as Acting Secretary, but a fact-finding committee led by Taraba State Governor Kefas Agbu later reported that INEC still recognises Anyanwu as the duly elected secretary.
This led to further division and confusion over who holds legal authority to co-sign party documents, including letters to INEC.
While the PDP insists on its constitutional right to manage internal affairs, INEC maintains that procedural compliance, particularly in matters involving external parties, such as the commission, must be observed.
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