Fresh Turmoil Rocks PDP as Top Officials Clash Over NEC Meeting

Abuja, Nigeria: A fresh wave of internal strife has gripped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as senior party officials issued conflicting directives regarding key party meetings scheduled for Monday, June 30.

The crisis centers on divergent positions taken by the PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Taofeek Arapaja, over the convening of the party’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

Senator Anyanwu had circulated a notice inviting stakeholders to a special expanded national caucus meeting, departing from the party’s earlier decision at the 99th NEC meeting on May 27 to hold the 100th NEC meeting today. His invitation extended to statutory caucus members, deputy national officers, Board of Trustees (BoT) members, state party chairmen, members of the PDP National Assembly caucus, former NWC members, former governors, and recent governorship candidates.

In a counter move, Chief Arapaja held a press briefing at the party’s national secretariat, urging members to ignore Anyanwu’s invitation. He insisted—alongside other NWC members and BoT representatives—that the 100th NEC meeting would go ahead as initially scheduled.

Amid the confusion, Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, issued a statement reaffirming his leadership role and announcing the postponement of the NEC meeting due to statutory considerations. He maintained that the expanded caucus meeting would hold on Monday in its place.

Adding to the discord, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, issued a late-night statement on Sunday scheduling the NEC meeting for 1:00 PM at the party’s national headquarters—an hour before Damagum’s camp planned to host the caucus meeting at the same venue.

Meanwhile, the PDP’s national secretariat, Wadata Plaza in Abuja, was cordoned off by security personnel on Monday morning, reflecting the heightened tension and uncertainty within the party.

By Taiwo Olatinwo/ June 30,2025