Politics
PDP NEC Affirms Anyanwu As National Secretary
NEC has also confirmed that its next meeting will be held on 23 July.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has affirmed Samuel Anyanwu as the national secretary, ending months of internal conflict that threatened the stability of Nigeria’s main opposition party.
PDP Acting National Chairperson Umar Damagun disclosed this while addressing journalists after the 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which was held behind closed doors at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Mr Damagun stated that the NEC meeting had one item on the agenda: resolving the leadership dispute over the national secretary position in line with the PDP’s consultations with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“As you can see, we just rose from our 100th NEC meeting. This meeting was a one-agenda meeting, which was to discuss the outcome of our interaction with INEC as regards the national secretary. We’ve all converged, we were all together, and we all agree that Senator Anyanwu will continue to act as national secretary,” he said.
The decision came less than one week after PDP leaders met with INEC leadership to resolve the party’s signature crisis.
INEC Chairperson Mahmood Yakubu had raised concerns over conflicting correspondences from the PDP regarding the rightful national secretary, citing inconsistencies in submissions that listed Sunday Udeh-Okoye, Mr Anyanwu, and later Setonji Koshoedo as the secretary.
INEC had earlier rejected a notice for the NEC meeting due to non-compliance with Part 2(12)(3) of the 2022 INEC Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, which mandates that the national chairperson and secretary must jointly sign such notices.
After the resolution, Mr Damagun said the party would now comply fully with INEC’s requirements, including co-signing notices for party meetings.
He said the meeting was convened to also “bring the issue of Convention up in the next NEC, which is slated for 23rd of next month. At that time, we’ll be able to convene a proper NEC, where myself and Senator Anyanwu will sign, which is to fulfil the regulatory need of INEC in convening meetings.”
The leadership crisis over the national secretary position dates back to 2023 when Mr Anyanwu emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate in Imo State. His candidacy generated internal debate over whether he could retain his role as national secretary while running for office.
While Mr Anyanwu insisted on retaining his position as national secretary despite contesting for office, the South-east chapter of the party and some members of the NWC backed Mr Udeh-Okoye as his replacement.
In December 2024, the Court of Appeal ruled that Mr Anyanwu had vacated his seat upon picking the governorship ticket, declaring Mr Ude-Okoye the rightful national secretary.
However, Mr Anyanwu appealed the decision at the Supreme Court and filed a motion for a stay of execution.
Amid the crisis, the PDP appointed Mr Koshoedo as acting national secretary to prevent a leadership vacuum and manage the controversy. Nevertheless, the internal disagreement remained unresolved, affecting the party’s compliance with INEC regulations requiring a co-signed NEC notice.
This is the second time the PDP will declare Mr Anyanwu as the party’s legitimate national secretary.
Mr Damagun initially announced his reinstatement on 25 June, shortly after a meeting between the party leadership and INEC. However, some party members opposed the decision.
NEC meeting free of rancour
Mr Damagun also took a swipe at critics who predicted chaos or a possible implosion of the party over the crisis.
“So, to our detractors who thought this meeting would be rancorous and also maybe the end of the party. The beauty of the Peoples Democratic Party is that it is the only party in this country that knows the mechanism to solve its own problem rancour-free.
“As you can see, all our governors have attended the meeting, and all members of NWC were on the same page. You will not be seeing all these press releases and counter-press releases.”
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Nollywood actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has withdrawn his support for the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, citing the continued marginalisation of the South-East geopolitical zone.
Okonkwo’s decision followed the official announcement by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, confirming former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, from the South-South, as Atiku’s vice-presidential running mate for the 2027 general election.
Reacting to the development, Okonkwo stated that any arrangement excluding the South-East from the top two executive positions in 2027 perpetuates unpardonable injustice against his people.
He emphasized that the region has not produced a President or Vice President since 1999 and noted that the ADC’s founder, Ralphs Nwosu, did not sacrifice leadership of the party in 2025 to enable the marginalisation of his own zone.
Okonkwo maintained that he would not campaign for any presidential ticket that fails to include a person of South-East origin as President or Vice President in 2027.
Okonkwo shared his decision in a statement released on his official X handle:
I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.
This Geo-Political Zone has neither produced a President or Vice President since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the President or Vice President in ADC in 2027 will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.
The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people.
I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the National Chairman and the President, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the Vice President in 2027.
I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, Geo-Political Zone, or person will be marginalised.
The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his Vice.
If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as President or Vice in 2027.
Nollywood actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has withdrawn his support for the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, citing the continued marginalization of the South-East geopolitical zone.
Okonkwo’s decision followed the official announcement by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, confirming former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, from the South-South, as Atiku’s vice-presidential running mate for the 2027 general election.
Reacting to the development, Okonkwo stated that any arrangement excluding the South-East from the top two executive positions in 2027 perpetuates unpardonable injustice against his people.
He emphasized that the region has not produced a President or Vice President since 1999 and noted that the ADC’s founder, Ralphs Nwosu, did not sacrifice leadership of the party in 2025 to enable the marginalisation of his own zone.
Okonkwo maintained that he would not campaign for any presidential ticket that fails to include a person of South-East origin as President or Vice President in 2027.
Okonkwo shared his decision in a statement released on his official X handle:
I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.
This Geo-Political Zone has neither produced a President or Vice President since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the President or Vice President in ADC in 2027 will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.
The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people.
I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the National Chairman and the President, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the Vice President in 2027.
I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, Geo-Political Zone, or person will be marginalised.
The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his Vice.
If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as President or Vice in 2027.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is coasting to victory in the chairmanship and councillorship elections in Adamawa conducted on Saturday.
The Adamawa State Independent Electoral Commission (ADSIEC) will announce the official results later today.
According to Daily Trust, Emmanuel Abba, commissioner of logistics and field operations of the commission, told journalists on Sunday that collation was ongoing.
Abba said election results of 20 LGAs out of 21 have been collated, adding that Numan LGA is pending.
The commissioner said ADSIEC will officially announce the results of the 21 LGAs sooner.
He implored residents to be patient to enable completion of the entire electoral process.
According to Daily Trust, PDP has taken an early lead from results of the 20 local government areas announced at ward and LGA levels thus far.
FINTIRI ABSENT DURING LGA POLL
The Adamawa LGA election recorded low voter turnout as many polling units were without voters.
According to Punch, Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of the state, was not in Adamawa during the election.
Leader Leneke, Adamawa commissioner of information, told the publication that the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not campaign as vigorously as the PDP.
Leneke said people in the rural areas believe that LGA elections are for politicians in the ruling party.
“The PDP governorship candidate and the chairmanship candidates were going out every day for campaigns, but the ruling APC was not doing the same. So, if the PDP wins the election today, it is due to its hard work,” he said.
“There is voter apathy in today’s election because people in rural areas believe that local government elections are meant for the ruling party in government, so they see no reason to come out and vote.”
In February, Fintiri formally joined the APC from the PDP.
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