Yan Nigeria
As the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepens, the battle over the National Secretary position and controversy surrounding the party’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting are set to dominate deliberations as PDP governors meet with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja today.
The meeting, scheduled for 2:00 pm at the INEC Conference Hall, was formally communicated via a letter dated June 18 and signed by the commission’s Acting Secretary, Halliru Aminu.
According to multiple sources within the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) who spoke with Punch, today’s meeting is expected to address the lingering leadership tussle between Sunday Udeh-Okoye and Senator Samuel Anyanwu over the National Secretary role. This internal feud has been a major obstacle to the party’s ability to function cohesively.
Backed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Anyanwu has been at loggerheads with the Udeh-Okoye camp, creating a stalemate that has repeatedly delayed NEC meetings and triggered legal ambiguities.
To restore order, the party had appointed Setonji Koshoedo as Acting National Secretary, but a fact-finding committee chaired by Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, later discovered that INEC still officially recognised Anyanwu as the legitimate occupant of the office.
The PDP’s 99th NEC meeting had slated June 30 for the landmark 100th NEC session, with Acting Chairman Umar Damagum notifying INEC on May 30.
However, INEC rejected the letter, stating that such notices must be jointly signed by both the national chairman and national secretary, a requirement not met in this case.
INEC, in its letter titled “Re: Request for Audience with the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission,” responded to the PDP’s proposal for an earlier audience, saying the initially requested date was inconvenient. Instead, it invited the party to the meeting holding today.
The letter reads, “Your letter Ref. PDP/DOM/GF.2/VIL.ID/25-093 dated 17th June 2025 on the above subject refers.
“The Commission is constrained to inform you that the requested date for the meeting is not convenient. However, we propose that the meeting should hold as follows.
“Date: Tuesday, 24th June 2025, Venue: Commission’s Conference Hall, Time: 2:00pm.
“Accept the assurances of the Commission’s highest regards.”
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, criticised INEC’s intervention, arguing that INEC has no role in the regular meetings of the party’s NWC or NEC.
Ologunagba said, “INEC cannot cancel our meetings. It is the party’s prerogative to decide such matters. INEC has no authority to do so.
“Under Nigerian law and our constitution, INEC’s role is limited to receiving notifications of conventions or congresses for electing officers or candidates.”
He added that if there’s any change to the planned NEC meeting, the public will be duly briefed.
One high-ranking party source told The Punch that resolving the National Secretary dispute and clarifying INEC’s position would be the core agenda of today’s meeting.
The source stated, “The meeting is about the National Secretary and the 100th NEC meeting. The governors and other leaders will determine who INEC recognises and how best to move forward.
“We expect clarity, and hopefully, this will help resolve some of the internal tensions affecting the party.”
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