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Says NEC Meeting not Cancelled
- Safiu Kehinde
The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) crisis has taken another twist as a factional National Working Committee (NWC) of the party dismissed Samuel Anyanwu’s reinstatement as its National Secretary.
NPO earlier Reported the party’s reinstatement of Anyanwu as its secretary.
PDP’ Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, had announced the reinstatement during his address with newsmen at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
Damagum had also declared the postponement of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting initially slated to hold on the 30th of June.
In sharp twist of event, the factional NWC led by the Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, and the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, dismissed Damagum’s pronouncements.
The committee, in a joint statement issued on Wednesday evening and signed by 11 national leaders, said the pronouncements have no foundation as no organ of the party has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
The PDP NWC held that the party’s highest decision making body is the NEC followed by the National Convention.
While ruling out Anyanwu’s reinstatement, the factional NWC also dismissed the postponement of the 100th NEC meeting, reaffirming that it will be held on the 30th of June as scheduled.
The statement read in part; “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, 25th June, 2025 wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, 30th June, 2025.
“The Acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the Party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the Acting National Chairman have no foundation as no Organ of the Party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making Organ of the Party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday 30th June, 2025 is binding on all Organs, Officers, Chapters and members of the Party and no Organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Amb. Damagum that Sen. Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the Party is therefore misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, 30th June, 2025 has not been canceled or postponed.”
Meanwhile, other signatories to the statement after Arapaja and Ologunagba include the Acting National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo; National Treasurer, Ahmed Mohammed; National Auditor, Okechukwu Daniel; National Financial Secretary, Woyengikuro Daniel; and National Vice Chairman (South East), Ali Odefa.
Others include Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South), Emmanuel Ogidi; National Woman Leader, Amina Bryhm; National Vice Chairman (North West), Sen.Hayatu Gwarzo; and National Vice Chairman (South West), Ajisafe Toyese.