Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) finds itself embroiled in a leadership crisis as two factions prepare to hold rival meetings of the National Executive Committee (NEC) today.
The dispute centers on whether today’s session is a legitimate NEC meeting or an ‘expanded national caucus’.
One faction, led by Acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum, plans to convene an expanded caucus at 2 pm, reportedly reinstating Senator Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary, an announcement made following a meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In contrast, the National Working Committee (NWC), supported by Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja and 11 of its members, alongside the Board of Trustees (BoT), insists that the previously scheduled 100th NEC meeting at 9 am remains valid under the PDP constitution.
The crisis is driven by procedural irregularities. INEC rejected the NEC notification because it was signed solely by Damagum, omitting the required co-signature from the national secretary as per the party’s internal rules. Damagum argues that INEC’s intervention gives legitimacy to Anyanwu’s reinstatement and strengthens the case for an expanded caucus—but this is strongly rejected by the NWC and BoT, who argue the NEC remains supreme and binding.
READ ALSO: Tinubu halts controversial financial reporting dues: What it means for Nigerian businesses, economy
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, speaking after a closed-door session with PDP Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara, affirmed his backing for the NEC meeting and emphasised that the South East zone might consider exiting the party if its constitutional demands are ignored.
Tensions escalated beyond leadership circles. Employees at the PDP national secretariat staged a walkout, accusing Anyanwu of creating instability and undermining party unity. Daniel Woyengikuro, National Financial Secretary, described the planned session as the continuation of an earlier adjourned NEC, insisting constitutional order must be upheld.
This factional clash reflects deeper institutional fragility within the PDP. Procedural missteps, such as the failure to adhere to co-signature requirements, have been magnified by political maneuvering from both sides. The BoT’s firm stance on constitutional hierarchy makes clear the line is drawn: NEC remains the party’s ultimate decision-making body after the National Convention.
The crisis signals a potential watershed moment: if unresolved, it could accelerate defections, especially from aggrieved zones like the South East, and further weaken the PDP’s cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
For now, the outcome of today’s meetings may determine whether the PDP reasserts unity through internal democracy or fragments under the strain of competing ambitions and procedural lapses.
The post PDP in disarray as rival factions prepare parallel NEC meetings appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.
