PDP NEC Affirms Anyanwu As National Secretary, Sets July 23 For Convention

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed Senator Samuel Anyanwu as its substantive National Secretary, putting an end to weeks of internal wrangling and speculation over the position.

 

The decision was reached during the party’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Monday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Briefing journalists after the session, PDP’s Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, said the meeting focused solely on the party’s recent engagement with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“As you can see, we just concluded our 100th NEC meeting. The meeting had a single agenda—to discuss the outcome of our interaction with INEC regarding the National Secretary,” Damagum stated.

He confirmed that the NEC unanimously resolved that Senator Anyanwu should continue in his role as National Secretary. He also announced that the much-anticipated national convention had been deferred to the next NEC meeting, now scheduled for July 23, 2025.

Damagum assured members that the rescheduled convention would strictly adhere to INEC regulations, with official notices to be jointly signed by him and Senator Anyanwu.

“We all worked together and agreed that Senator Anyanwu will continue to serve as National Secretary,” he said.

Addressing concerns that the meeting might mark a new low for the party, Damagum dismissed such speculation, pointing to the full attendance of PDP governors and key stakeholders as evidence of unity and institutional strength.

“To our detractors who thought this meeting would be disjointed and spell the end of the party, the beauty of the PDP is our ability to resolve issues internally. We are free and united,” he said.

He also signaled an end to the recent wave of public dissent and contradictory press releases within the party, stating that NEC’s decision marks the beginning of a new chapter of cohesion and strategic planning.

Also speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, affirmed that the party remains united and dismissed any notions of factions or coalitions.

Mohammed reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to providing good governance and restoring public trust.

“This is the miracle of the PDP—the party with history, pedigree, and the human capital to deliver for Nigeria. Despite facing externally-created challenges, we’ve navigated them better than any other party,” Mohammed said.

He praised the National Working Committee (NWC) for resolving internal disagreements and strengthening unity within the party.

“The NWC has collapsed all differences. What you’ve been seeing in terms of press releases and counter-statements has stopped, and you will not see them again,” he said.

Mohammed also acknowledged the roles played by the Board of Trustees (BoT), National Assembly caucuses, and state chapters in preserving the party’s structure and grassroots presence.

“There’s no crisis in the state chapters—that is where our strength lies. We thank our state chairmen for keeping the party functional, often with limited resources,” he added.

Dismissing media reports of defections and internal divisions, Mohammed described such narratives as “cosmetic” and aimed at undermining the party’s image.

“The news about people leaving the party is cosmetic. They were crafted to diminish us, but they have failed,” he stated.

He further warned against forming parallel coalitions or unofficial stakeholders’ meetings, asserting that the entire party leadership is aligned with the NWC.

“We are all on the same page. No excuse for any coalition or unofficial stakeholders’ meeting. We are solidly behind the NWC and the governors,” he said.

Present at the NEC meeting were Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), and Douye Diri (Bayelsa), among others.

Also in attendance were Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, Senator Abba Moro, former Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki, Professor Jerry Gana, PDP Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja, and other senior party figures.

The meeting came amid controversy after heavily armed security operatives disrupted a scheduled BoT meeting at Wadata Plaza, citing “orders from above,” forcing a relocation to the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre.

This sparked outrage and allegations of federal interference. Among those locked out was Chief Bode George, who condemned the disruption as undemocratic.

Speaking to journalists, George warned against creeping authoritarianism and urged the government to respect democratic processes.

“The PDP is not a private enterprise. You don’t resolve its issues from the outside,” he said, urging a focus on Nigeria’s more pressing socio-economic challenges.

The BoT meeting eventually convened at the alternative venue, with Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara and Secretary Senator Ahmed Makarfi expressing dismay at the incident but urging party unity.

Makarfi explained the intention behind a pre-meeting with governors and the NWC to ensure a united front.

He condemned the disruption as a threat to democracy and insisted on the party’s right to conduct its affairs without interference.

Wabara, in his remarks, described the blockade as an affront to democracy but called for restraint.

“This is a particularly special BoT meeting. Despite the challenges, we are determined to uphold democratic principles,” he said.

Acting Chairman Damagum reiterated that the NEC meeting was constitutionally convened and urged members to avoid public conduct that could damage the PDP’s image.

“This meeting was not a caucus—it was a formal NEC meeting held to maintain regulatory compliance,” he clarified.

Reacting after the meeting, Dr. Bukola Saraki hailed the NEC’s success as a win for democracy and party unity.

“There was no victor, no vanquished. The winner today is the PDP—and Nigeria’s democracy,” Saraki said, urging continued cooperation toward the upcoming convention.

He thanked all party leaders who made sacrifices for peace and unity and expressed optimism that the PDP is now better positioned to move forward.