Barring any last-minute change of plan, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to hold a crucial meeting today to deliberate on modalities for the forthcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, as the crisis over the party’s national secretaryship continues to fester.
The meeting comes amid fresh threats from the South-East zonal caucus, which has warned that it may be forced to exit the party if its nominee, Sunday Ude-Okoye, is not ratified as national secretary.
Daily Trust reports that the leadership tussle between Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye over the national secretary position remains at the heart of the party’s internal strife. This is despite a consensus among most PDP governors to replace Anyanwu—who contested and lost the 2023 Imo State governorship election—with a new nominee from the South-East.
However, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, a key powerbroker in the party, has insisted that Anyanwu be allowed to complete his tenure. Wike has also threatened legal action if any correspondence with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including the notice for the NEC meeting scheduled for 27 May, is not signed by Anyanwu.
The NEC meeting is expected to be followed by the party’s national convention in August, provided that ongoing internal disputes are resolved. A seven-member committee, chaired by former Senate President and ex-governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki, has been constituted by PDP governors and other stakeholders to mediate the crisis.
Beyond NEC preparations, today’s NWC meeting will also address the recurring security concerns at the party’s national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, located in Zone 5, Abuja.
The meeting comes on the heels of a declaration of support for the acting national secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, by 83 administrative staff members of the PDP secretariat. After hours of deliberation on Wednesday, the staff endorsed Koshoedo, even as the South-East caucus maintained its demand for the ratification of Ude-Okoye as its zonal nominee for the national secretary position.
