Fresh cracks have emerged within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) rejection of the party’s notice for its upcoming 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, scheduled for June 30.
In a letter dated June 13 and addressed to PDP’s acting national chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, INEC declared the notice invalid, citing a breach of its 2022 guidelines.
The letter, signed by Hajiya Hau’ru Aminu, INEC’s acting secretary, emphasized that the NEC notice failed to meet procedural requirements — most notably, the absence of a co-signature by the party’s national secretary.
According to the commission, the PDP’s submission ran afoul of Part 2(12)(3) of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, which clearly states that notices for conventions, congresses, or NEC meetings must be jointly signed by both the national chairman and secretary.
“Be guided,” the commission warned pointedly in the letter, which has since sparked renewed tension among PDP stakeholders.
This latest development compounds the party’s long-standing internal turmoil and raises fresh questions about the legitimacy of decisions expected from the NEC gathering. It also underscores a deeper battle over the party’s leadership structure and constitutional order.
The controversial notice was signed solely by Damagum, who has been operating in an acting capacity.
The decision to proceed without the signature of Senator Samuel Anyanwu — the party’s embattled national secretary — is believed to be linked to the factional battle over his continued tenure.
Anyanwu, who contested the 2023 Imo State governorship election and lost, has since been entangled in a leadership tussle after the National Working Committee (NWC) attempted to replace him with Sunday Ude-Okoye.
The matter eventually reached the Supreme Court, which, on March 21, ruled in favour of Anyanwu’s reinstatement.
Yet, despite the apex court’s ruling, the PDP leadership appears divided on implementing the judgment. While governors and some stakeholders favour a replacement, a powerful bloc loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is insisting on Anyanwu’s return as national secretary.
The rejection of the NEC notice now places the June 30 meeting in legal jeopardy. While PDP insiders insist the meeting will go on, critics argue that any resolutions from the gathering may be invalidated due to procedural irregularities.
Former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, dismissed INEC’s concerns, claiming the commission misunderstood its own guidelines.
“The NEC is not electing officers or merging with another party; it’s only ratifying previous decisions. So, the guideline INEC cited does not apply,” he argued.
However, INEC officials maintain that the law is clear and must be followed, especially since PDP explicitly stated in its correspondence that the meeting would take place at the national secretariat — the same building recently sealed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over unpaid ground rent.
PDP NEC member, Elder Timothy Osadolor, accused INEC of partisanship, arguing that the commission has no authority to interfere in the internal affairs of political parties.
“INEC is overreaching itself. The party constitution gives the chairman power to act on behalf of any officer, including the secretary,” he said.
Despite such claims, INEC insists that all parties must adhere to its laid-down procedures to maintain legal and electoral integrity.
Meanwhile, a senior INEC official who declined to be named warned that ignoring the guideline could attract consequences that might undermine the legitimacy of any decisions taken at the NEC meeting.
The leadership crisis within the PDP is widely seen as a continuation of the rift between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Nyesom Wike. The fallout from the 2022 presidential primaries, which saw Wike lose the ticket to Atiku, has left the party fractured.
Wike, now a key figure in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, has continued to pull strings within the party, openly challenging Atiku’s influence and opposing the dominance of the former vice president’s loyalists in the PDP hierarchy.
Insiders say the 100th NEC meeting — if it holds — is expected to address:
Ratification of the next national convention date (likely August),
Resolution of the national secretary dispute,
Review of recent zonal congresses,
Committee reports, including those on power zoning.
However, with the legality of the meeting under question and no consensus on the national secretary’s status, political observers say the PDP may be heading toward another protracted legal and moral crisis.
The Peoples Democratic Party Concerned Stakeholders (PCS) has cautioned the NWC and governors against disregarding the Supreme Court judgment on Anyanwu, warning that continued defiance could “break the party’s backbone.”
“This witch-hunt, driven by ego and ambition, is politically suicidal,” the group said in a statement. “The national secretary’s office is not a war trophy.”
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