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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is engulfed in renewed internal turmoil as a bitter rift between key factions threatens to derail its 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, originally scheduled for June 30. The power struggle pits Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and his allies against the camp of former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike over the controversial reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary and whether the NEC meeting should go ahead as planned.

Governor Makinde’s bloc, backed by Governors Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), 11 members of the National Working Committee (NWC), and other senior party figures, insists that the NEC meeting “must proceed as scheduled.” Speaking on the issue, PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, said, “The 100th NEC meeting will proceed as scheduled…at the NEC Hall of the Wadata Plaza, PDP National Secretariat, Abuja.”

On the other side, Wike’s faction—which includes Governors Caleb Muftwang (Plateau), Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Adamu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, and other NWC officials—advocates for the postponement of the NEC in favour of an expanded National Caucus meeting. They also support Anyanwu’s reinstatement, citing INEC’s continued recognition of him as the legitimate officeholder.

Damagum, defending the decision, stated, “It is hoped that the party will meet each other halfway… An expanded National Caucus meeting will now be held on June 30.” This statement drew sharp criticism from within the NWC, where 11 out of 19 members rejected the move, arguing it was unconstitutional. “No organ, group, or officer of the party has the power to alter, change, vary, veto or convert the already convened NEC meeting,” they said in a joint statement.

The PDP has been riddled with leadership disputes since its 2015 electoral defeat. The party had named Setonji Koshoedo as acting National Secretary, but a fact-finding committee led by Governor Kefas Agbu revealed that INEC still recognises Anyanwu.

PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba also weighed in, asserting, “INEC’s role is limited to receiving notifications and not interfering in internal party decisions.” Damagum dismissed the remark as “personal opinion”, asserting that the party must align with INEC’s procedural expectations.

Reactions from party elders and stakeholders remain divided. Elder statesman Chief Bode George insisted on the supremacy of the NEC, saying, “Whether they call it an NEC, leg or head meeting, the most important thing is that we are meeting… We will face one another and tell ourselves the truth.”

Meanwhile, PDP Deputy National Officers released a statement hailing Anyanwu’s reinstatement as “a victory for the party” and backing the expanded caucus meeting. Dr Chidi Lloyd, a Wike loyalist, praised the move, calling it “a win for democracy”.

The party stands at a critical juncture, with both factions mobilising for a decisive face-off. Whether the June 30 gathering will take the form of an NEC meeting or a caucus session remains uncertain. What is clear is that the outcome could shape the PDP’s structure and fortunes ahead of the 2027 elections.

Punch