The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is embroiled in a fresh round of troubles as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected a notice for the group’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for June 30 in Abuja and signed by Acting Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum.
In its letter signed by Hajiya Hau’ru Aminu (INEC Acting Secretary), the commission rejected the notice of PDP’s NEC meeting, citing a violation of procedural guidelines.
Dated June 13 and addressed to the PDP National Chairman, the rejection letter was titled: “RE: NOTICE OF 100TH NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY.”
According to the INEC correspondent, the notice failed to comply with its guidelines, particularly Part 2(12)(3) of the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, stipulating that such notices must be jointly signed by a party’s National Chairman as well as its National Secretary.
The letter stated, “The commission draws your attention to the fact that the notice is not in compliance with the requirement of Part 2(12)(3) of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022, which provides that ‘the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party shall jointly sign the notice of convention, congress, conference or meeting and submit same to the Commission.’
“Be guided.”
This latest development follows other issues bedeviling the party.
The party’s 99th NEC meeting had also faced major setbacks after the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) sealed the PDP national headquarters less than 24 hours before the scheduled meeting over unpaid ground rents.
The meeting eventually relocated to the party’s presidential campaign office, Legacy House, in the Maitama District.
However, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and his loyalists dismissed the gathering as a mere stakeholders’ meeting, arguing that it could not be considered a NEC meeting since the notice was not issued by the embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
The PDP’s notice for the 100th NEC meeting to INEC, was signed solely by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum.
Dated May 30, the letter informed the electoral commission of the party’s intention to hold its 100th NEC meeting at its national secretariat in Abuja.
Although the notification complied with INEC’s 21-day notice requirement for political party NEC meetings, it was not co-signed by the PDP National Secretary.
Since the 2023 presidential primaries, the PDP has been plagued by divisions following Wike and four other governors leading a clique that refused to support the party’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and instead backing Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Thereafter, crisis emerged over the position of National Secretary, with conflicting interests surrounding Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who was summarily replaced by Sunday Ude-Okoye after contesting the Imo governorship election, which he lost to Governor Hope Uzodinma.
On returning from the election, Anyanwu sought to reclaim his position, sparking a prolonged legal battle that eventually ended at the Supreme Court that ruled in his favour.
However, the apex court’s judgement triggered further division, with PDP governors reportedly favouring a replacement from the South-East, while Wike has insisted on Anyanwu’s return.
To manage the controversy, the party appointed Setonji Koshoedo as Acting National Secretary pending resolution.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party Concerned Stakeholders (PCS) has urged the NWC, South-east Zonal Caucus, PDP governors, NEC, Board of Trustees (BoT), and other organs to respect “the Supreme Court ruling reinstating Senator Anyanwu”.
In a statement on Tuesday, PCS convener, Aminu Das Sadiq, said the PDP, once a symbol of unity and rule of law, is now mired in crisis.
“Senator Anyanwu is not only a loyal party member with a credible track record, but the Supreme Court, on March 21, unequivocally affirmed him as national secretary,” the group said. “INEC also recognises him as duly elected.
“Yet, some vested interests are working to force him out — not just from office but from the party altogether. This defies the party’s constitution (2017 as amended) and the rule of law. Why is due process being ignored? Why not wait for the next national elective convention to democratically resolve this?”
PCS added that Anyanwu has less than six months left in his tenure, describing the attempt to remove him as “politically unwise and morally indefensible.”
“This witch-hunt, driven by ego and ambition, undermines party unity. The office of national secretary should not be treated as a political prize.”
The group called on Damagum and the NWC to comply with the Supreme Court ruling and INEC’s recognition, warning that anything short of this “amounts to contempt of court and a breach of party discipline.”
