Tension Boils In PDP: Governors Storm INEC Today Over National Secretary Crisis

As the internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalates, today’s meeting between PDP governors and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja is set to focus on two contentious issues: the battle over the National Secretary position and the controversy surrounding the party’s forthcoming 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The meeting, scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at INEC’s Conference Hall, was confirmed through a letter dated June 18, signed by INEC’s Acting Secretary, Halliru Aminu.

According to multiple sources within the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) cited by Punch, today’s dialogue is expected to center around the ongoing leadership rift between Sunday Udeh-Okoye and Senator Samuel Anyanwu over who rightfully holds the position of National Secretary. The prolonged feud has been a major stumbling block to party cohesion.

Senator Anyanwu, who is reportedly backed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has remained at odds with the Udeh-Okoye faction. This impasse has not only delayed key NEC meetings but also introduced legal complications. In an effort to stabilise the situation, the party had named Setonji Koshoedo as Acting National Secretary. However, a fact-finding panel led by Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, discovered that INEC still formally recognises Anyanwu as the National Secretary.

The PDP’s 99th NEC session had proposed June 30 for its historic 100th meeting. Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum had notified INEC of this plan via a letter dated May 30. But INEC rejected the notice, insisting that such correspondence must bear the joint signatures of both the national chairman and national secretary—conditions unmet in the letter.

In a formal response to PDP’s earlier request for a meeting, INEC stated the initially proposed date was inconvenient. Instead, it invited party leaders to today’s rescheduled meeting.

INEC’s letter reads in part:
“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: 2:00 p.m.”

INEC closed the letter with: “Accept the assurances of the Commission’s highest regards.”

Meanwhile, at a press conference on Sunday, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba criticised what he described as INEC’s overreach. He asserted that the commission has no authority over internal meetings of the party’s NWC or NEC.

“INEC cannot cancel our meetings. It is the party’s exclusive right to convene them. Under Nigerian law and our constitution, INEC’s role is limited to being notified of congresses or conventions where party officers or candidates are elected,” Ologunagba stated. He added that if any changes occur regarding the NEC meeting, the public will be appropriately informed.

A senior party official confirmed that today’s meeting will primarily seek to resolve the National Secretary dispute and clarify INEC’s stance.

“The meeting is focused on the National Secretary impasse and preparations for the 100th NEC meeting,” the source said. “The governors and party leadership will work to determine who INEC recognises and chart a way forward. We hope this brings clarity and helps ease the party’s internal tensions.”

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