INEC Distances Itself from PDP National Secretary Crisis, Says ‘Sort Your House First’
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has firmly refused to wade into the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) escalating leadership crisis over who holds the position of National Secretary, insisting that the matter remains strictly an internal party affair.
This stance was made clear during a closed-door meeting held Tuesday at INEC headquarters in Abuja, where a high-powered PDP delegation met with INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
According to insider sources present at the meeting, Prof. Yakubu reminded the party leaders that it is not the responsibility of the electoral commission to determine who their legitimate National Secretary is. He cited existing Supreme Court judgments, which categorically state that such matters must be resolved by political parties themselves through their constitutionally recognized processes.
“The commission cannot decide for you who your National Secretary is. That is your internal matter. The Supreme Court has been clear on this,” Yakubu reportedly told the PDP team.
The PDP, deeply divided over the rightful occupant of the National Secretary’s seat, left the meeting unsettled, vowing to return to the drawing board for broader consultations with party stakeholders.
Led by Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, the PDP delegation included key party figures such as Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), along with former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi, Senator Seriake Dickson, and Senator Ben Obi.
Speaking to journalists after the hour-long session, Damagum described the engagement as “frank and fruitful,” though he acknowledged that no final resolution had been reached.
“We came to discuss issues surrounding the office of the National Secretary. Politics is dynamic, and after this productive meeting, we will consult widely and take a clear position,” he said.
The PDP has been mired in confusion over the position in recent months, with the party sending conflicting letters to INEC — at times listing Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Sunday Ude-Okoye, or even another chieftain, Mr. Sholeye, as Secretary. The most recent correspondence to INEC had no Secretary’s signature at all — only that of the Acting National Chairman, breaking with established protocol.
INEC Chairman Yakubu noted with concern that for 99 previous NEC meetings, the party had always submitted letters bearing both the National Chairman’s and National Secretary’s signatures, but the recent inconsistencies have cast serious doubts on the PDP’s leadership structure.
The situation has drawn sharp criticism from within the party. PDP Board of Trustees member, Eddy Olafeso, described the ordeal as a “total disgrace,” revealing that at least five different letters concerning the same office had been sent to INEC by the National Working Committee (NWC).
Adding to the drama, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has claimed that INEC previously told a PDP delegation that Senator Anyanwu remains the National Secretary, based on a Supreme Court judgment — a claim yet to be officially confirmed by the party.
Meanwhile, the Southeast PDP bloc maintains that Anyanwu’s tenure effectively ended when he contested the Imo State governorship election, insisting that Sunday Ude-Okoye is the rightful National Secretary. Wike, however, dismisses their position, arguing that contesting an election does not invalidate a party member’s office, citing examples of others who returned to party leadership after electoral contests.
With no clear resolution in sight, Nigeria’s main opposition party remains locked in internal strife, leaving its leadership structure in limbo as the 2027 elections inch closer.
