The Peoples Democratic Party has been plunged into a fresh round of turmoil as a fierce leadership tussle within its National Working Committee split the opposition party into two warring factions.
On Saturday, each faction announced the suspension of the other in an escalation of internal hostilities.
The latest crisis, which erupted barely 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja halted the party’s planned national convention slated for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State, has further deepened the rift between loyalists of the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and a bloc aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Sunday PUNCH gathered that at the heart of the conflict is the struggle for control of the party’s leadership ahead of the next convention.
Damagum’s camp strikes first
While addressing journalists at the party’s Legacy House headquarters in Abuja on Saturday, the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced the suspension of four key NWC members for alleged misconduct and anti-party activities.
Those suspended are the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; the Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and the National Organising Secretary, Umaru Bature.
Ologunagba explained that the decision was taken after an emergency meeting of the NWC in line with Sections 57 and 58 of the PDP Constitution, which empower the committee to discipline members found guilty of acts capable of bringing the party into disrepute.
He said, “The NWC reviewed the activities of some of its members and found that their recent conduct amounted to gross indiscipline and contravention of the constitution of our great party. Consequently, the committee resolved that they be suspended for one month and referred to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action.”
The publicity secretary also announced that pursuant to Section 36(2) of the party’s constitution, the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, would act as National Secretary pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings, while the Director of Legal Services, Jacob Otorkpa, would oversee the legal department during the period.
Ologunagba noted that the party’s leadership would not tolerate acts of sabotage or disobedience to lawful directives.
“The NWC has resolved to restore discipline and unity to the party. The PDP remains committed to internal democracy and respect for the rule of law,” he said.
Anyanwu’s faction hits back
A few hours later, a rival NWC group loyal to Anyanwu convened its own briefing at a separate venue in Abuja to announce the suspension of Damagum and five other national officers.
Anyanwu declared that the decision became necessary to “save the party from collapse” and restore credibility to its leadership.
Reading from a prepared statement, the National Secretary said the emergency meeting of his faction resolved to suspend Damagum for incompetence, mismanagement of party funds, and alleged disobedience to court orders.
He added that the National Vice Chairman (North Central), Mohammed Abdulrahman, had been appointed Acting National Chairman in Damagum’s place.
“After extensive deliberation, the NWC resolved to suspend Umar Damagum for one month and refer him to the disciplinary committee to answer questions on incompetence, misappropriation, and flagrant disobedience of court judgments,” Anyanwu said.
He went further to announce the suspension of Ologunagba, the National Deputy Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja; the National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyenguikoro; the National Youth Leader, Sulaiman Kadade; and the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo.
Anyanwu accused the affected officials of complicity in anti-party activities, financial misconduct, and dereliction of duty.
He said, “We have evidence that certain officers opened unauthorised accounts for party transactions. We also observed gross negligence by the youth leader, who has failed to activate the youth wing of the party nationwide. These acts cannot continue unpunished.”
The former Imo State governorship candidate maintained that the decision was taken in good faith and in line with the party’s constitution.
“This is a corrective measure to restore sanity, unity, and discipline. No one is above the party,” he declared.
According to Anyanwu, 10 members of the NWC were in attendance.
Unending crisis
Recall that despite the plan to hold its National Convention in Ibadan, the PDP remains engulfed in internal tension.
Wike’s supporters continue to express dissatisfaction with the leadership of the Acting National Chairman, Damagum.
Their discontent stems from unresolved disputes over the South-South zonal leadership and the control of party structures in states such as Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Plateau.
There are also disagreements over the micro-zoning formula ahead of the convention, further widening the rift within the party.
These lingering issues escalated into a legal showdown aimed at stopping the convention from taking place.
On Friday, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an interim order restraining the PDP from proceeding with its planned convention in Ibadan until further notice.
Presiding over the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the convention must be suspended until the party aligned its actions with the provisions of its constitution, the 1999 Constitution, and the Electoral Act 2022.
The case was instituted by three aggrieved members of the PDP, Austin Nwachukwu, the Imo State PDP Chairman; Amah Abraham Nnanna, the Abia State PDP Chairman; and Turnah Alabh George, the PDP Secretary for the South-South zone.
They petitioned the court to halt the convention, arguing that it contravened both the Electoral Act and the party’s internal rules.
According to them, the PDP failed to conduct valid congresses in 14 states before issuing the notice for the convention.
In his final judgment, Justice Omotosho found merit in their claims.
He held that the PDP violated its own constitution, the 1999 Constitution, and INEC’s guidelines by failing to conduct proper state congresses and by neglecting to issue the required 21-day notice to INEC.
Consequently, he ordered that the planned convention be stopped until the party rectified all internal irregularities in line with the law.
With the fictionalisation of the party, analysts say the convention has suffered another setback.
A former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Saturday, congratulated the factional acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman, urging him to move quickly to unite the party.
Fayose, in a statement, said the PDP was in dire need of a new direction.
“He should also be a team player and ensure the emergence of a new National Working Committee through a valid National Convention, which should be done immediately after outstanding congresses are held in states and zones, and those done against court judgements are revisited,” he added.
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