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Thursday, July 10, 2025

PDP Leadership Crisis Deepens as NWC Members Reject Anyanwu’s Return as National Secretary

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ABUJA, Nigeria — Eleven members of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have rejected the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s national secretary, escalating an internal leadership crisis ahead of a crucial party meeting.

The dispute emerged after Umar Damagum, the PDP’s acting national chairman, announced on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, that Anyanwu would resume his role as national secretary.

The declaration came during a press conference attended by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, and other senior party officials.

Damagum also stated that the party’s scheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Monday, June 30, 2025, had been cancelled—a claim immediately disputed by dissenting NWC members.

Anyanwu, an ally of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, was reportedly reinstated following a meeting between PDP governors, NWC members, and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, 11 NWC members issued a joint statement rejecting the decision, insisting that the NEC meeting would proceed as planned.

“The pronouncements by the acting national chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the NEC under the constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017),” the statement read.

The signatories include Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja, Acting National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo, National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, and other senior officials.

The PDP had formally notified INEC of its NEC meeting in compliance with electoral regulations.

However, INEC, in a Friday, June 13, 2025, letter, stated that the notice was invalid because it was not jointly signed by the party’s national chairman and secretary.

Ologunagba dismissed INEC’s objection, asserting that the party did not require the commission’s approval to hold internal meetings.

The leadership crisis stems from a prolonged legal battle over the national secretary position.

In December 2024, the Court of Appeal ruled that Sunday Udeh-Okoye should replace Anyanwu, who had secured multiple injunctions to retain his seat.

However, the Supreme Court later ruled in March that the dispute was an internal party matter, striking down previous court decisions.

Despite this, factions within the PDP remain divided—with governors and the Board of Trustees (BoT) initially recognising Udeh-Okoye, while Wike’s camp pushed for Anyanwu’s retention.

In April, PDP governors recommended Koshoedo as acting secretary pending a final resolution.

But tensions flared again in May when South-East party leaders threatened to defect if Udeh-Okoye was not recognised.

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