FELIX NWANERI writes on the crisis presently rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is a replay of internal squabbles that has been part of the party, whenever it is preparing for a major election since 2023

There is no doubt that the Peoples democratic Party (PDP) has remained one of the country’s dominant political parties in the present political dispensation, however, internal strife has been part of its chequered history since its formation in 1998.

The party won the presidential elections in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011, but its years in power were characterised by polarization over struggle for the party’s various tickets, particularly among presidential aspirants; first term governors, who were bent on running for second terms and outgoing governors, who insisted on anointing their successors against the wishes of party members.

The power-play, which continued even after the party lost power in 2015, is already playing out ahead of the 2027 general election as the battle for the party’s national leadership and control of its structures, has pitted its chieftains against each other.

The PDP, had late last year, witnessed a gale of suspensions and countersuspensions by some members of its National Working Committee (NWC) over leadership tussle. Among those caught in the suspension crossfire at the time include acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, who announced the suspension then, cited a letter addressed to the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/ PH/307/2024 by the duo against the party’s position in the case involving the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who vacated their seats upon defecting from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ologunagba, who also announced the appointment of Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed as PDP’s Acting National Chairman, said the party is focused towards holding the scheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on October 24.

But, in a counter-statement, the Damagum-led NWC announced the suspension of the National Publicity Secretary (Ologunagba) and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN) over what it termed abuse of office and insubordination by the duo. A statement to that effect, signed the faction’s Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorum, said the decision was reached at the NWC meeting.

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Manga, later issued a two-paragraph press statement announcing his assumption of office as acting National Publicity Secretary in place of Ologunagba.

A Federal High Court, Abuja, later restrained the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP from removing Damagum as acting national chairman of the party. The court also ordered that no other person must be recognised as PDP national chairman other than Damagum until the national convention of the party is held.

Battle for secretaryship rekindles crisis

While the court order and intervention of some stakeholders of the party doused, the crisis rocking at that party resurfaced again last week during the BoT meeting, following the clash between supporters loyal to two claimants to the National Secretaryship of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Mr. Sunday Ude-Okoye.

The controversy stemmed from Anyanwu’s selection as the PDP governorship candidate for Imo State in 2023. The party’s South-East zone nominated Ude-Okoye to replace him as National Secretary, arguing that Anyanwu should vacate the position following his gubernatorial candidacy.

On December 20, 2024, the Appeal Court in Enugu affirmed Ude-Okoye as the PDP National Secretary, a decision officially communicated to the party on December 24. However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja issued a restraining order, allowing Anyanwu to remain National Secretary until the Supreme Court resolves the appeal.

It is imperative that the NWC rises above personal interests and places the survival and progress of our great party above all other considerations

Trouble started at the Wednesday’s BOT meeting, when one Emma, loyal to Anyanwu, approached Okoye, asking him to vacate his seat and arguments ensued. He reportedly harassed Okoye, a situation that angered the latter, who went back to mobilise his men.

And in a jiffy of an eye, Okoye’s supporters numbering 10, stationed around the party’s national secretariat jumped the fence and started slugging it out with Anyanwu’s men, trying to force their way in, so their principal can be part of the meeting.

While it took the intervention of policemen on ground to calm frayed nerves a few hours after, chairman of the PDP BoT and a former president of the Senate, Adolphus Wabara, in his address at the meeting, said: “This meeting comes at a time when the unity, focus and direction, and ideals of our great party are being tested in ways that call for reflection and decisive action.

“Primarily, let me express my profound disappointment over the crises currently rocking the leadership of the National Working Committee (NWC). As elder statesmen and women; leaders who hold the trust of the generality of our party members and the public, it is disheartening that these issues have not been resolved.

The failure to resolve these internal conflicts undermines the strength and credibility of our party. “It is, therefore, imperative that the NWC rises above personal interests and places the survival and progress of our great party above all other considerations. In light of these challenges, I must emphasize the urgent need for a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

“I again urge the NWC to honour its words and convene the NEC meeting as scheduled in February 2025. It is pertinent to stress that party members across the country are in earnest expectation that the NEC meeting will hold this February. “The NEC remains the highest decision-making body of our party, and it is crucial that we convene without further delay to address these pressing concerns.

The NEC meeting will serve as a platform to reaffirm our shared commitment to the unity, discipline, and ideals that bind us together as members of the PDP.” Damagumm on his part, accused leaders of the party leaders for being behind the crisis rocking the party.

His words: “I want to say this with the highest sense of responsibility. Part of this crisis that you see today within the NWC is propelled by our leaders that are supposed to unite us. It’s very unfortunate, I would say it the way it is, where people are called.

“We all know the working of NWC, some of you here have been NWC members. I’ll be sitting down as the chairman only to see my members called by certain leaders to visit certain places, without my knowledge. Each one of you, if you are the chairman, will find it difficult. I want to use this opportunity to caution us and caution our leaders.

“You may have ambition, but you don’t ride on a dead horse to reach your destination. If you create crisis simply to further your ambition, you may get what you want, but you your dream will not be realized, because by that time, you have injured the horse you are going to ride to that destination.

“And as the conscience of this party, some of us are also complicit. We should look inwards and search our conscience. This party is dear to all of us, it is the only thing we have. The hope of Nigerians today is on this party, so we should sheath our swords and work towards uniting ourselves, so that we’ll have a credible vehicle that can challenge what is bedevilling us.

“At the last meeting we had with the governor, we all agreed we’ll have NEC. I want to assure you that we’ll do everything possible to have this NEC this February. You are all aware we’ve started the process of zonal congresses. Even at that, I enjoin our leaders to also be mindful of doing anything that can mar these congresses.

“It’s very important to sound this note because whatever we do is the structure you are building to hold what you have at your hand. Like you said, we are supposed to bring credible people. We’ve had congresses recently about almost 29 states. We have problems in a few states. I think we are getting there.”

A familiar path since 2003

The road being travelled by the PDP is not a new one. The party first experienced it in the build-up to the 2023 general election, following a plot by some governors of the party to draft then Vice-President Atiku Abubakar into the 2023 presidential race.

The plot, which was aimed at dislodging the then incumbent president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, raised so much dust within the PDP though Atiku later opted for a joint a ticket with his principal. The bubble burst again in the build up to the 2007 general election as the PDP witnessed more polarization.

Several state chapters of the party saw the emergence of factional executives that went as far as conducting their own congresses. The climax was the setting up of a factional national secretariat in Abuja by the Chief Solomon Lar-led faction. Lar (now late) was the first national chairman of the party.

The group went ahead to announce a National Executive Committee (NEC). Some then governors elected on the platform of the party masterminded the plot and they were backed by several members of the party in the National Assembly at the time, who stood against the alleged third term agenda of then President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Although the idea of a faction was said to have been considered as an option by the Lar group to win control of the party’s machinery from the Obasanjo/Ahmadu Ali (then national chairman) faction, the need to save the political careers of PDP members of the National Assembly was largely responsible for it.

The Ali group was said to have then concluded arrangements to expel the lawmakers over their refusal to support the stand of the party as regards the botched third term bid.

The expulsion was due to be announced before the Lar group struck. Also, the botched plot to stop Obasanjo from contesting the 2023 presidential election, which pitted him against Atiku, led to a cold war that degenerated to a bitter political battle by 2006, when Atiku declared his ambition to succeed Obasanjo.

Obasanjo’s insistence that Atiku will not succeed him forced the then vice president to leave the PDP for the defunct Action Congress (AC), which handed him its presidential ticket, but he host the poll to Obasanjo’s anointed candidate – Umaru Yar’Adua.

Reminiscent of the 2007 scenario and as believed by many that internal squabbles have become part of the PDP, whenever it is preparing for a major election, aggrieved members of the party under the aegis of PDP Reform Group, led by a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, emerged on the political scene in April 2010, to demand for a return to the ideologies of the party’s founding fathers.

The then leadership of the party under Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, however rose against the “rebels” by suspending them from the party. Among those affected then alongside Nnamani were Senator Adolphus Wabara (also a former Senate President); former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari; ex-Governors Peter Odili (Rivers) and Achike Udenwa (Imo). The party was faced with another challenge after the internal uprising.

This time, it was the battle for its presidential ticket for the 2011 general election. Initial calculation was the presidency will remain in the North for eight years (2007-2015), with Umaru YarÁdua emergence as Obasanjo’s successor, but power shifted unexpectedly to the South as Yar’Adua death in May 2010, saw his vice, Goodluck Jonathan, being swornin as president. Jonathan’s declaration for the 2011 presidential election generated much controversy within the PDP.

Although he was able to defeat his closest challenger, Atiku, in the PDP presidential primary election and went ahead to win the general election, his candidacy disrupted the party’s power sharing arrangement. While successive PDP leaderships were able to suppress the 2003, 2007 and 2010 revolts against the party; that of 2013 proved the last straw that broke the camels’ back.

First, the face-off between the then National Chairman, Alhaji Bamang Tukur and some governors led to the latter’s resignation on January 15, 2014. Tukur had earlier insisted that he will not resign on the ground that it is only the party’s convention that can remove him. With Tukur’s ouster, the PDP, settled for a former governor of Bauchi State, Adamu Mu’azu, as national chairman.

His emergence as a consensus candidate followed series of meetings between then President Jonathan, PDP governors and other party bigwigs. Despite the change in guard, the crisis festered. The party lost former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and four of its governors to the then opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in one fell swoop.

The monumental loss was over the party’s presidential ticket as Jonathan was granted an automatic for the 2015 elections. The decision, which was hinged on the Right of First Refusal led to the affirmation of his candidacy at the party’s national convention despite insistence by some members of the party that the contest for the ticket be thrown open.

Perhaps, the power play explained why the then ruling party went into the 2015 elections a divided house and was handed a shocking defeat. The PDP, not only lost the ultimate prize – the presidency, but most of the states it hitherto controlled and its majority in the National Assembly.

While the aftermath of the 2015 elections left the PDP with bruises, measures were put in place shortly after the polls to rebuild the party. The rebuilding effort, however, turned a mirage, when the party got hijacked by a former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff.

Consequently, attention shifted on how to free the party from Sherrif’s grip. Report had it then that besides the chairmanship of the party, the former governor’s main target was the 2019 presidential ticket of the party. But Sheriff’s sack as national chairman at the party’s national convention on May 21, 2016, did not bring the envisaged peace.

The battle for the soul of the PDP shifted to the courts as the Sheriff-led National Working Committee (NWC) and National Caretaker Committee led by a former Kaduna State governor, Ahmed Makarfi, respectively, claimed to be the authentic leadership of the party. As a way out, some chieftains of the party advocated an out of court settlement but both camps remained adamant to such call.

The hope of Nigerians today is on this party, so we should sheath our swords and work towards uniting ourselves, so that we’ll have a credible vehicle that can challenge what is bedevilling us

The legal battle got to a height ahead of the September 2016 governorship election in Ondo State and it was the Makarfi faction that triumphed after the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, recognised the winner of its primary – Eyitayo Jegede – as PDP’s candidate for the poll.

Though the party lost the election to the APC, members of the Makarfi faction viewed the judgement as one that affirmed their claim to the leadership of the PDP though Sheriff’s appealed against the judgement. The Makarfi’s camp, however, suffered a setback, when the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, confirmed Sheriff as PDP national chairman.

The battle later moved to the Supreme Court, which on July 12, 2017, reinstated Makarfi as the chairman of National Caretaker Committee of the party. With Sherrif out of the way, the next battle was that for the party’s presidential ticket for the 2019 elections. Like in the past, party leaders and chieftains realigned themselves to push the candidacy of the rpreffered aspirants.

As expected, the realignment caused to division within the party. For instance, the ambition of then governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal that had the endorsement of his Rivers State counterpart, pitted their camp against that of Atiku but at the end of the day, the former vice president triumphed in a keenly contested presidential primary that held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. The PDP had what could be described as its worse internal wrangling during the build-up to the 2023 elections.

The crisis began with the battle for the party’s structure that saw the removal of the then National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, in October 2021. The belief of those who spearheaded his ouster was that it will bring cohesion to the party ahead of the 2023 elections. Led by then governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, the anti-Secondus camp reasoned then that he lacked what it takes to lead the party to victory in the 2023 polls.

However, some discerning political minds expressed the view that the bone of contention was control of the party’s structure by some chieftains of the PDP, who had their eyes on the 2023 presidential ticket of the party. The pro and anti-Secondus camps, however, reached a sort of compromise by bringing forward the national convention that was scheduled for December 2021.

But, in a twist, some members of the party approached a High Court in Rivers State, which granted an interim order that restrained Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman of the party. The party subsequently named Yemi Akinwonmi, Deputy National Chairman (South) as acting chairman. Hours later, a Kebbi State High Court ordered the return of Secondus as national chairman.

Before then, the party had announced October 30 and 31, 2021, as dates for the conduct of its national convention that saw the emergence of a former President of the Senate, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, as national chairman. Ayu, a consensus candidate, took over the leadership of the PDP alongside 20 others elected into various positions of the NWC and it was envisaged that the party was on a good stead in its bid to return to power.

What however ensued was another round of infighting over the party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 general election. As expected, the May 28, 2022, presidential primary election of the party was characterised by high level politicking that pitted the aspirants against each other. The contest was however won by Atiku, who polled 371 votes to defeat his major challenger, Wike, who garnered 237 votes.

While most of the presidential aspirants pledged to rally behind Atiku and work for the success of the party in the presidential election, there was no doubt that the PDP further suffered polarization thereafter. Matters became worse over Atiku’s choice of then governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate. Many had thought that Wike’s performance at the presidential primary would earn him the party’s vice-presidential ticket but that was not to be.

It was reported that 14 members of the 17-man panel set-up by the party to advise its leadership and Atiku on the choice of vice-presidential candidate, recommended Wike but Atiku in his wisdom, opted for Okowa, an action that infuriated members of Wike’s camp, who insisted that Ayu must step down in line with a pre-convention agreement that he would step down if a presidential candidate emerged from the North. Ayu, on his part, vowed not to resign.

He insisted that he was elected based on laid down rules of the party and that the presidential candidacy of Atiku did not in any way affect his position as national chairman.

He further argued that he stood for election and won a fouryear term, wondering why some people would be calling for his resignation, when he was yet to spend even a year in office. Wike fired back at Ayu with a warning that he (Ayu) might cause the party to lose the presidential election.

However, despite Wike’s insistence on the pre-convention agreement that Ayu, who hails from Benue State (North Central) should resign as national chairman for a southerner to take over the position, some analysts then expressed the view that he was waging a battle against Atiku.

Wike, who accused party stakeholders from the South of betrayal, later ruled out support for Atiku as long as Ayu remained in office as the party’s national chairman. Several meetings were held to reconcile both camps but nothing came out of them.

The aftermath of the crisis was that five of the party’s governors known as G5 – Wike, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) – withdrew support for Atiku and there is no disputing the fact that the party went into the 2023 elections a divided house.

While the G5’s action, among other factors contributed to PDP’s loss of the presidential 2023 election, expectation after the poll was that the PDP leadership would put its house in order and rebuild ahead of the 2027 general election, however the pre-2023 elections crisis has continued to fester.

Besides the issue of Ayu’s continued stay in office as national chairman, the NWC’s suspension and expulsion of some chieftains of the party shortly after the elections triggered another round of crisis. Among those slammed with suspension include a former President of the Senate, Anyim Pius Anyim and ex-governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, while Ortom was referred to the party’s disciplinary committee for alleged anti-party activities.

The party had prior to the elections (February 10, 2023) expelled a former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani; Oluwajomiloju Fayose (son of ex-Governor Fayose0; Hon. Chris Ogbu (Imo), Ajijola Oladimeji (Ekiti), Olayinka Olalere (Ekiti), Akerele Oluyinka (Ekiti) and Emiola Adenike (Ekiti) over anti-party activities.

The gale of suspension assumed another dimension, when the executive committee of the PDP in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, on March 26, 2023, announced the suspension of Ayu with immediate effect. The party’s Secretary in the ward, Vanger Dooyum, who read the resolution of the executive, said Ayu’s anti-party activities alongside his allies, contributed to the PDP’s loss in his ward and local government in the governorship election.

He also accused Ayu of not paying his annual dues as enshrined by the party’s constitution and that he (Ayu) did not vote during the governorship and state Assembly elections held on March 18, 2023. Ayu, not only dismissed the claims, but alleged that the executives of Igyorov Ward were doing the bidding of those he described as political gamblers.

He maintained that the PDP constitution forbids any organ at the ward level from taking disciplinary measures against members of the party’s NEC. In a counter-move, the Benue State Working Committee (SWC) of the PDP announced the suspension of the Igyorov ward.

While many saw the action as a move to save Ayu, the cards crumbled, when a High Court in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, issued an interim injunction restraining Ayu from parading himself as PDP national chairman. Reacting to the ruling, the PDP, on March 28, 2023, appointed its Deputy National Chairman (North), Umar Damagum, as acting National Chairman.

Battle for party’s structure ahead 2027

There is no doubt that Damagum, who has held sway in acting capacity as PDP national chairman, has continually been under fire over what some members of the party described as rudderless leadership.

It was against this backdrop that some analysts predicted a stormy session during the 98th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party in August last as the chances of PDP’s survival appears to be dimming by the day.

The belief ahead of the meeting was that the NEC would sanction members, who engaged in anti-party activities during the 2023 elections. It was also believed that Damagum would revert to his position as Deputy National Chairman (North) to pave the way for election of national chairman, possibly from the North Central, where Ayu hails from.

While the anticipated storm was carefully evaded by the PDP’s leadership and stakeholders apparently to save the party from implosion, there was no pretence on the need for genuine reconciliation hence the appointment a former Senate President and ex-governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki to lead the initiative.

The party, in the same vein, appointed a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, as chairman of the disciplinary committee to look into allegations of anti-party against some members during the last general election. Interestingly, little or nothing was heard about activities of the Saraki and Emmanuel committees and it was against this backdrop that many predicted that peace will continue to elude the PDP.

As foretold, controversy trailed its state congress held in September, with the leadership of the party confirming shortly after the exercise that it received complaints from 12 states. Among the affected states is Rivers, where the congress held despite a court order that stopped the exercise.

This, particularly, led to a dispute between the Damagum-led NWC that authorised the congress and the Governor Bala Mohammed-led PDP Governors Forum, which insisted that Governor Siminalayi Fubara should remain the party leader in the state.

Since then, t has been a fierce political battle between the governor and his predecessor, Wike, over who controls PDP’s structures in the oil-rich state. Similarly, it was controversy over the postponement of the party’s 99th NEC meeting scheduled for October 24, 2024.

The meeting was billed to hold on September 26, 2024, but was shifted by the NWC. The NWC n a document dated September 16, 2024 and signed by, Anyanwu, explained that the NEC meeting was moved to October 24 to ensure that the congress reports from eight states were complete and could be presented to the NEC as required.

While the much-expected NEC meeting has not held up to date; for those conversant with the politics of the PDP, the raging crisis is over battle for the party’s structure between the Atiku and Wike’s camps on one hand and that of the governors, on another hand, ahead of the 2027 elections.

We found ourselves in our current situation due to a selfinflicted crisis… As leaders, we must not allow anybody to destroy our party because PDP is the only true national party

Wike, who was rewarded by President Bola Tinubu for his support for the APC in the 2023 presidential election, is not only said to be mobilizing to stop Atiku from emerging as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 polls, but working to weaken the PDP given his endorsement of President for a second term, while the governors under the aegis of PDP Governors’ Forum, on their part, are poised to have one of their own emerge as the party’s presidential flag bearer.

Hope amidst crisis

No doubt, many PDP faithful have their fingers crossed given the unfolding drama, Wabara, who chairs its BoT, is confident that the former ruling party will overcome its current crisis.

The former President of the Senate, who said the country has endured years of suffering under the poor policies of the APC, maintained that PDP remains the only hope for Nigerians despite internal crises threatening its unity and structure.

Speaking at the board’s meeting on Wednesday, Wabara emphasised the need for unity among party members and urged stakeholders to set aside personal grievances and work towards strengthening the party ahead of future elections. His words: “Despite the challenges we face, let me reiterate that the PDP remains the hope of Nigerians.

Our nation has endured years of suffering under the poor policies and governance of the APC. Nigerians are looking to us as a beacon of hope, and we cannot afford to let them down. We must rebuild trust and offer a credible alternative that prioritises the welfare of the people. “I therefore call on every one of us to set aside personal differences and work collectively to strengthen the PDP.

This party has weathered storms before, and I have no doubt that we will emerge stronger, more united, and ready to fulfill our historic mission of leading Nigeria to a brighter future.” Expressing his displeasure over the leadership crisis, the PDP BoT chairman warned that failure to resolve these disputes could undermine the party’s credibility.

Wabara also emphasised the urgent need for a NEC meeting to address the party’s crises. He, therefore urged the NWC to honour its commitment to convene the NEC meeting as scheduled in February. “In the light of these challenges, I must emphasise the urgent need for a NEC meeting. I again urge the NWC to honour its words and convene the NEC meeting as scheduled in February 2025.

It is pertinent to stress that party members across the country are in earnest expectation that the NEC meeting will hold this February.” Also harping on the need for the NEC meeting, the PFP Governors’ Forum, after its meeting on Friday in Asaba, the Delta State capital, advised their party’s NWC to reschedule the NEC meeting to March 13.

The governors in a communique signed by Governor Bala Mohammed, stated: “The Forum employed the occasion to review the performance of member states in particular, and the state of the nation in general, as well as developments in the party, as at the end of 2024; and noting the monumental socioeconomic, security, infrastructure and other challenges that confronted the nation during the period, the Meeting commended Governors of member states for pursuing policies and programmes that not only ameliorated the plight of the people but were aimed at creating the foundation for sustainable development in their various states.

“The Forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the NWC, on the position of the National Secretary, and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment; consequently, the Forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgement. “The Forum having examined all the notices required by law to be given to validly convoke NEC advised NWC to reschedule NEC to the thirteenth (13Th) of March 2025.”

George, Ologbodiyan raise concerns

Despite the optimism expressed by some stakeholders that PDP will bounce back, a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George, who spoke on the state of affairs in the party, described the invasion of the party’s national secretariat by thugs during the BoT meeting as despicable, horrific, inhuman and wicked.

He therefore warned that the PDP would be heading to disaster in 2027 unless it unites and sanction those who are destroying the party.

His words: “As a dedicated life member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) representing the upper chamber and embodying the moral compass of our party, I feel compelled to sound the alarm in a matter requiring urgent attention.

What happened on Wednesday during the 79th meeting of this August body in Abuja is despicable, horrific, inhuman, wicked and unheard of.

The individuals who orchestrated the use of thugs to invade our party secretariat acted shamelessly and this action must be condemned by all of us who value democracy. “Enough of this arrant nonsense. We found ourselves in our current situation due to a self-inflicted crisis. We should bury our individual ambition now and not allow the PDP to crumble.

Elders of the party should tell those funny characters to calm down. As leaders, we must not allow anybody to destroy our party because PDP is the only true national party. The APC is just a mere congregation of strange bedfellows.” Kola Ologbondiyan, a former National Publicity Secretary of the party, who also spoke on the issue, decried the way the PDP is presently being run.

He said: “Take the issue of the acting national chairman, he became acting national chairman because section 47(6) of the constitution says that you can because there was a vacuum. It also says that when the people bring forth a replacement, you’ll vacate but the whole thing has been messed up in a manner that you don’t even know where to take off from.

“Look at the issue of the national secretary, 85 per cent of the people of the South-East will tell you that they’ve nominated Sunday Ude Okoye and they’ve gotten a court judgement to back it up. But what do you find? As I said earlier, judicial gymnastics have thrown things anyhow, and at the end of the day, these issues are not resolved. Somebody asked if these things are flying in the wings of aspirations.

If you say that Senator Sam Anyanwu has the support of or the interest of Nyesom Wike, who are we going to say the support of Ude Okoye is planted upon? “Sometimes, if you look at the whole issue, you will see that all these things are being generated to make sure that the party doesn’t have its cohesion.

It is a grand design to ensure that PDP doesn’t have its unity, so that the people who are in government and the party in government will be able to suppress other opposition parties in a manner that they’ll be reduced to e level of just contesting election at the sub-national and they won’t be able to participate in a national election.

This is my assessment of the situation.” While all eyes are on the PDP to convene the NEC, which is the second highest decision making body of the party, the outcome of the meeting will confirm whether the various power blocs are ready to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 general election.