PDP On The Brink! BoT Decision Legitimacy Thrown Into Question Amid Rising Tensions

The ongoing internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has intensified, with stakeholders divided over the legality of the party’s current Board of Trustees (BoT).

While some party members argue that the BoT’s tenure has expired, questioning the legitimacy of its recent meetings, others maintain that the current leadership has the authority to oversee party affairs, particularly during times of instability.

According to Sunday PUNCH, 85 out of the 127 BoT members have been absent from board activities. Reports indicate that the BoT has been holding meetings and making key decisions without achieving a quorum, a move that some members claim violates the PDP constitution.

A senior member of the PDP National Working Committee, speaking anonymously, insisted that the 42 statutory members currently involved in BoT decisions lack the legal standing to act on behalf of the board. The source emphasized that under the leadership of Senator Adolphus Wabara, the BoT does not meet the quorum requirements to make binding decisions for the party.

PDP’s Internal Struggles Worsen

The PDP has been battling internal rifts both before and after the 2023 general elections, leading to prolonged instability. Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum has come under increasing criticism, with party members blaming him for the party’s challenges since he took over from Iyorchia Ayu.

Adding fuel to the crisis is the contentious dispute over the National Secretary position. In 2023, the South-East zone nominated Sunday Ude-Okoye, the former National Youth Leader, to replace Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who was selected as the party’s Imo State governorship candidate.

This nomination deepened divisions within the party, as some factions called for Anyanwu to resign due to his new political obligations. The conflict reached a turning point on December 20, 2024, when the Appeal Court in Enugu ruled in favor of Ude-Okoye, confirming him as the new National Secretary. The ruling was officially communicated to the party leadership on December 24.

However, tensions surrounding the National Secretary role remained high. The situation escalated on January 28, when supporters of Anyanwu forcibly removed Ude-Okoye from a BoT meeting, leading to the intervention of security forces.