The Peoples Democratic Party’s elected governors have called for an emergency meeting on Friday in Asaba, Delta State, to redress the challenges plaguing the party.
This comes as the party’s BoT meeting on Wednesday in Abuja was marred by rowdy scenes after supporters of Senator Samuel Anyanwu attacked the party’s former Youth Leader Sunday Ude-Okoye.
According to our findings, the governors’ emergency meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, is meant to redress the challenges plaguing the party.
The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, said the crisis rocking the main opposition party is fuelled by party leaders who are supposed to unite them.
Damagum, speaking to members of the Board of Trustees in Abuja on Wednesday, emphasised that he would do everything in his power to ensure the PDP National Executive Committee meeting takes place in February, as requested by the party’s Governors Forum and other party organs.
A senior member of the National Working Committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to speak on the issue, disclosed that BoT members protested the assault on former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, by a supporter of the embattled National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu during the BoT meeting.
The source revealed that the primary agenda for the meeting convened by the Forum led by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, includes the urgent need for a NEC meeting, ongoing preparations for the zonal congresses, the National Secretary crisis, a report from Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum on the party’s status, and a review of the state of the nation.
The PDP had been engulfed in crisis since the 2023 elections with many party members accusing Damagum, a close ally of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, of being responsible for the unrest within the party.
At present, the National Working Committee, BoT, zonal, and state chapters are all embroiled in crisis, with members aligning themselves with different leaders.
Also, Wike, the Bauchi governor and others have continued to exchange harsh words, further escalating the schism in the party.
Commenting on the crisis, Damagum, who called the situation unfortunate, accused some members of the BoT of being complicit in the turmoil.
He stated “I want to say this with the highest sense of responsibility, part of this crisis that you see today within the NWC, is propelled by our leaders that are supposed to unite us.
“It is very unfortunate, I would say it the way it is, where people are called, we all know the working of NWC, some of you here have been NWC members. I’ll be sitting down as the chairman only to see my NWC members called by certain leaders to visit certain places, without my knowledge.
“And I want to use this opportunity to caution us, caution our leaders. You may have ambition, but you don’t ride on a dead horse to reach your destination. If you create crisis simply to further your ambition, you may get what you want, but your dream will not be realized because by that time, you have injured the horse you are going to ride to that destination.
“And as the conscience of this party, some of us are also complicit. We should look inwards, search our conscience. This party is dear to all of us, it is the only thing we have. The hope of Nigerians today is on this party, so we should sheath our swords, work towards uniting ourselves so that we’ll have a credible vehicle that can challenge what is bedeviling us.”
The party leader further urged leaders not to take any action that could disrupt the ongoing processes for the zonal congresses.
He continued, “At the last meeting we had with the governor, we all agreed we’ll have NEC (meeting). I want to assure you that we will do everything possible to have this NEC in this February.
“You are all aware we’ve started the process of zonal congresses. Even at that, I enjoin our leaders to also be mindful of doing anything that can mar these congresses. It is very important to sound this note because whatever we do, it is the structure you are building to hold what you have in your hand.”
In his remarks, the BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara expressed frustration over the crisis.
He cautioned party leaders not to let personal interests and ambitions take precedence over the party’s well-being.
He stated, “This meeting comes at a time when the unity, focus and direction and ideals of our great party are being tested in ways that call for reflection and decisive action.
“Primarily, let me express my profound disappointment over the crises currently rocking the leadership of the National Working Committee. As elder statesmen and women; leaders who hold the trust of the generality of our party members and the public, it is disheartening that these issues have not been resolved.
“The failure to resolve these internal conflicts undermines the strength and credibility of our party. It is therefore imperative that the NWC rises above personal interests and places the survival and progress of our great party above all other considerations. In the light of these challenges, I must emphasize the urgent need for a National Executive Committee meeting.
“I again urge the NWC to honour its words and convene the NEC meeting as scheduled in February 2025. It is pertinent to stress that party members across the country are in earnest expectation that the NEC meeting will hold this February.
“The NEC remains the highest decision-making body of our party, and it is crucial that we convene without further delay to address these pressing concerns. The NEC meeting will serve as a platform to reaffirm our shared commitment to the unity, discipline, and ideals that bind us together as members of the PDP.”
Earlier during the 79th BoT meeting at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, the former national youth leader who has being parading himself as the National Secretary, was assaulted by Anyanwu’s supporters.
The Appeal Court sitting in Enugu had on December 20, 2024, upheld Ude-Okoye as the PDP National Secretary, and the decision was formally communicated to the party leadership on December 24.
However, last week, the Court of Appeal in Abuja issued a restraining order, directing Anyanwu to remain in office until the Supreme Court resolves the appeal.
Wabara had declared the meeting open at 12:05 p.m. with Anyanwu in attendance while while Ude-Okoye arrived five minutes later.
At precisely 12:20 p.m., a commotion broke out in the hall with Anyanwu forced out of the meeting room.
After being pushed out, Ude-Okoye ordered some individuals dressed in black to enter the PDP headquarters.
It took the combined efforts of police, Civil Defence operatives, soldiers, and Department of State Security personnel to restore order before the meeting, which lasted four hours, to continue.
An eyewitness explained that Ude-Okoye was addressing the BoT members when some individuals interrupted him and forcibly removed him.
He stated, “Ude-Okoye came to the meeting on the invitation of the BoT. While the meeting was ongoing, Ude-Okoye was speaking to the gathering when he was abruptly shut down and pushed out. This annoyed the BoT chairman and other leaders, who were upset by the assault.
“As a result, they threatened to end the meeting. However, Damagum and others pleaded with Wabara and the BoT leadership to continue after allowing Ude-Okoye to rejoin the meeting.
“When Ude-Okoye returned, the party leaders demanded that Anyanwu’s supporters, who had assaulted him, apologize. They did so, and the BoT acknowledged that both Ude-Okoye and Anyanwu had court documents validating their claims to be national secretaries.
“The BoT, in its discretion, did not reject Ude-Okoye but instead admitted both him and Anyanwu into the meeting as national secretaries. The BoT also instructed a former Minister of National Planning, Tanimu Turaki, SAN, to mediate and report back to the BoT.
“The crisis is becoming increasingly concerning, with violence now becoming part of the issue. The governors are worried, which is why they have called for a meeting of the PDP Governors Forum. This meeting will take place in Asaba, Delta State, with party governors expected to arrive on Friday, and the meeting will be held between Friday and Saturday.”
In an interview with journalists after the meeting, Ude-Okoye explained that he left the meeting to defend himself.
‘’I wasn’t forcefully pushed out. Some people wanted to attack me and I decided to move out in defence of myself. No one pushed me out, I stepped out.
“Which national secretary are you talking about, is it me or who? I am the national secretary, so may be you didn’t get what the BoT chairman said. The BoT chairman said that it is going to be resolved and a committee has been formed.
“I am the national secretary of PDP. I have already assumed office; I have assumed duty on the 30th of December 2024. If you check the list of those that attended the meeting, my name is number 46 on the list. So, I was invited as a BoT member because constitutionally, I am one,” he clarified.
Meanwhile, our correspondent observed the absence of several PDP BoT members, including former Vice President and 2023 PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President Namadi Sambo, former Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki, and former National Chairman Uche Secondus, among others.
The Bauchi governor, former Senate President David Mark, and a few others, however, sent their apologies for not attending the meeting.
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress has described the PDP leadership crisis as an unfortunate but entertaining drama.
Commenting on the incident at the party headquarters, the National Publicity Director of the APC, Bala Ibrahim, stated that the ruling party cannot feel sorry for a party that ‘misruled’ Nigeria for 16 yearr.
Ibrahim urged the PDP leadership to come to the APC Progressives Institute and learn the art of politics.
He said, “This is a message to Nigerians who made the mistake of entrusting the leadership of this country in the hands of the PDP for 16 years. Now, this has shown that it was only the people’s prayers that kept the country moving for that long. But as a party, the PDP has got no structural programme at all.
“The party is not good at managing anything, including itself. What is happening has shown that God came to the rescue of Nigerians by pushing them out of power. Is this the kind of party that will even claim to be giving the ruling party sleepless nights? They just seem to be entertaining us.
“The APC is watching the drama with all the funfair coming out of it. They should come and learn how to play politics in our progressive institute set up by the National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Gandujie. They will be taught how to play politics without bitterness.”
