THE Board of Trustees and Ex-Officio Forum of the Peoples Democratic Party have rejected recent actions taken by the party’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, insisting that the 100th National Executive Committee meeting scheduled for June 30 must go ahead as planned.
The BoT also reaffirmed the appointment of Setonji Koshoedo as Acting National Secretary, amid claims that Senator Samuel Anyanwu remains the substantive secretary.
In separate statements, BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and the Chairman and Secretary of the PDP National Ex-Officio Forum, Faboyede Clement and Comfort Yassan, respectively, described Damagum’s efforts to cancel the NEC meeting and reinstate Anyanwu as unconstitutional and contrary to the collective will of the party.
The PDP has faced persistent internal crises since losing power in 2015, including leadership tussles, defections, and unresolved congress issues.
As part of efforts to stabilise the party, Koshoedo was appointed Acting National Secretary. However, a committee chaired by Taraba State Governor, Kefas Agbu, recently disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission still recognises Senator Anyanwu as National Secretary.
Although the PDP had, at its 99th NEC meeting, fixed June 30 for its 100th NEC session—with Damagum notifying INEC accordingly—the electoral body rejected the letter, citing the absence of the joint signature of the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary as required by law.
On Sunday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated that INEC’s role is limited to receiving notices and not regulating party activities. But in a swift response, Damagum distanced the party from Ologunagba’s remarks, describing them as personal and premature.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Damagum announced the cancellation of the June 30 NEC meeting, replacing it with a national caucus session, and declared Anyanwu reinstated as National Secretary. He claimed that his decisions were backed by a majority of party leaders.
However, 11 of the 19 National Working Committee members rejected both the cancellation and Anyanwu’s reinstatement, vowing to go ahead with the scheduled NEC meeting.
Reacting to the development, the BoT, in a strongly worded statement signed by Wabara, faulted Damagum’s decisions.
He said, “The attention of the Board of Trustees of the PDP has been drawn to an unconstitutional pronouncement by the Acting National Chairman of our great party, Amb. Umar Iliya Damagum, purporting to cancel the 100th NEC meeting scheduled to hold on Monday, 30th June, 2025, and directing Senator Samuel Anyanwu to resume as National Secretary of the party.
“The BoT, in defence of the Constitution of the PDP, states categorically that these pronouncements by the Acting National Chairman are null, void and of no effect, being inconsistent and in gross violation of the express provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).”
Wabara added, “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 at the 99th NEC meeting held on Tuesday, 27th May, 2025, to hold its 100th meeting on Monday, 30th June, 2025, is binding on all organs and members of the PDP.”
He warned that no individual or organ of the party has the authority to override the NEC’s resolution.
“The decision of the National Working Committee directing the Deputy National Secretary to act as National Secretary in accordance with the extant powers of the NWC remains valid, having not been set aside by the NWC or NEC. The attempt by Amb. Damagum to overturn that decision is a gross abuse of office,” the statement said.
“The BoT, being the conscience of the party, cannot stand idly by and watch the party descend into chaos through acts of impunity, unilateralism, and disregard for constitutional procedures.”
The BoT insisted that: “The 100th NEC Meeting must proceed as scheduled on Monday, June 30, 2025. Members of NEC should disregard any contradictory statements regarding the meeting.
“Arc. Setonji Koshoedo remains Acting National Secretary pending a formal decision by the appropriate organ of the party. All members should uphold the supremacy of the PDP Constitution and resist attempts to destabilise the party.”
In a related development, the PDP National Ex-Officio Forum expressed disappointment in Damagum’s press release, describing it as a betrayal of the 99th NEC.
Their statement read in part, “The attention of the members of the PDP national ex-officio has been drawn to the press release by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Damagum, on the 25th of June in respect of the scheduled NEC meeting of June 30.
“We have also read the communique issued by members of the NWC in response to the chairman’s press release. It is our view that the Acting National Chairman’s press release is embarrassing to the members of NEC, especially to those who attended the 99th NEC meeting.”
The ex-officio members affirmed their support for the NWC majority and reiterated that NEC decisions are binding.
“The NEC derives its powers from Section 31, Paragraph (3), Page 68, 2017 (as amended). The Acting National Chairman presided over the 99th NEC meeting of May 27, which adjourned to June 30. That resolution is sacrosanct and cannot be reversed by any member or organ of the party except the National Convention,” they stated.
They further described Anyanwu as a destabilising figure within the party and backed his continued exclusion.
“The issue of Anyanwu has caused monumental damage and political disruption to our great party. The Supreme Court ruled it is an internal affair of the party. No individual or organ, other than NEC, can reinstate Anyanwu,” the statement added.
“He has become a national destabilisation factor. So we fully support the NWC on his non-reinstatement.”
Meanwhile, a NEC member and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr Diran Odeyemi, told The PUNCH that he would be out of the country by June 30. He declined to comment on whether the NEC meeting should proceed.
In a telephone interview, he said, “I will be out of the country.”
However, PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, insisted there is no NEC meeting on June 30, clarifying that the party is planning a stakeholders’ caucus meeting on that date.
“There is no NEC meeting on June 30. What the party is hosting on that date is a stakeholders’ caucus meeting,” he told this newspaper.