PDP in turmoil as factions hold parallel NEC meetings amid leadership crisis

Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is grappling with an escalating leadership crisis as rival factions prepare to hold separate meetings of the National Executive Committee (NEC) today, deepening the rift within the party’s top hierarchy.

At the heart of the dispute is a sharp disagreement over the legitimacy and nature of today’s scheduled sessions—whether it constitutes a valid NEC meeting or merely an “expanded national caucus.” The confusion has triggered internal conflict, institutional discord, and fears of party disintegration, particularly in the South East.

One camp, led by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, plans to hold what it calls an expanded caucus meeting by 2:00 p.m.

This faction made headlines earlier by announcing the controversial reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary—a move reportedly endorsed following consultations with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, the National Working Committee (NWC), backed by Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, 11 other NWC members, and the Board of Trustees (BoT), has rejected Damagum’s approach.

They maintain that the 100th NEC meeting, originally scheduled for 9:00 a.m., stands valid and in accordance with the party’s constitution.

The procedural confusion stems largely from INEC’s refusal to recognize the meeting notification issued solely by Damagum without the constitutionally mandated co-signature of the National Secretary.

Despite this, Damagum argues that INEC’s intervention gives credence to Anyanwu’s return and validates the convening of an expanded caucus.

His opponents within the party insist otherwise, arguing that such interpretation undermines the NEC’s authority and the PDP’s internal rules.

READ ALSO: PDP confirms NEC meeting, dismisses alleged change to ‘expanded caucus’

The crisis took a regional turn when Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, after a closed-door meeting with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara, declared support for the morning NEC meeting.

Governor Mbah also warned that the South East zone may reconsider its continued participation in the PDP if the party leadership continues to flout constitutional provisions.

Tensions spilled over beyond the leadership arena into the PDP national secretariat, where staff members staged a walkout in protest against Senator Anyanwu.

They accused him of destabilizing the party and contributing to the internal discord.

Speaking on the situation, National Financial Secretary Daniel Woyengikuro described the scheduled morning NEC meeting as the lawful continuation of an earlier adjourned session.

He stressed the need for constitutional order and warned against political maneuvering that could derail the party’s unity.

The BoT’s insistence on constitutional supremacy draws a clear red line: the NEC remains the PDP’s highest decision-making body outside of the National Convention.

Any attempts to circumvent its authority, they warn, risk plunging the party into further disarray.

As both factions dig in their heels, today’s parallel meetings could mark a turning point for the PDP. The fallout may either reinforce party unity through a reassertion of democratic principles or lead to fragmentation, defections, and diminished credibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.