The National Executive Committee, NEC, the highest decision body of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has resolved to reinstate Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary, after months of internal and legal tussle.
Addressing journalists after the 100th NEC Meeting at the PDP national Secretariat in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, Acting National Chairman, Illiya Damagum said another NEC meeting is scheduled for 23rd July, 2025 when other decisions would be taken in the interest of the party.
“We all combined in one effort. We were all together, and we all agree that Senator Anyanwu will continue to act as National Secretary also to bring the issue of convention to the next NEC, which is slated for 23 July.
At that time we will be able to convene a proper NEC where myself and Senator Anyanwu will sign a notice to fulfil the regulatory need of INEC in convening meetings”.
Damagum said the conduct of the 100th NEC has unsettled the party’s detractors who were hoping for a chaotic meeting.
“So, to our detractors who thought this meeting will be a congruous and may be the end of the party, the beauty of PDP, the only party in this country that knows the mechanism to solve its own problem you can see all our governors have attended the meeting, all members of NWC, we are on the same page. you will not be seeing all these press releases and counter press releases”.
Opening ceremony
During the opening ceremony Illiya Damagum called on party members not to de-market the party as they are all responsible for all that transpired as such they should stand united in purpose for the work ahead stating that the beauty of the party is that they have always handled their problems in their own ways.
“It is in this NEC that we will discuss when to hold a second NEC and going to convention in a most lawful and profound way. We’ll discuss that and we’ll issue the date when we conclude this meeting”.
“I will still use the opportunity to call on party faithful to stop arbitrary demarketing of this party. I want the media to know, if you so much love this party.
I think it is now time for you to devote your energy in propagating the beauty of this party and stop demarketing the party unless you are one of those that have been contracted to come and destroy our party. I want to say it clearly here, enough is enough,” he added.
BoT Chairman
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Sen. Adoulphus Wabara charged party members to ensure the survival of the PDP as it will not die on their watch.
“I have always contended that this party will never die no matter what her detractors feel. This party will never die. We thank the National Working Committee of our party for coming together once again, believing that Nigerians have enormous faith and hope in PDP”.
Wabara said the higher powers of politics are with the PDP. “We shall survive. The god of politics is in this party. Allah of politics is in this party. For anybody, any other party, to succeed, we have to release our God to bless them. But our God knows that PDP is the beacon of hope for this country”.
He added that their faith in God would enable them overcome any challenge or device of detractors to bring them down.
“What is happening here today will shock so many people. I’m sure they will start planning again to bring problems. NWCs don’t allow a crack anymore, because once they have, once they have seen us now coming together, they say, why? What happened? Who is the native doctor? But they don’t believe in God. Where is the native doctor that made this possible?
They will start doing something to destabilise us, which we will not agree. So whatever we are doing here today, we are doing because of our service to this nation”.
No more controversies
Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi state governor, North East Nigeria, Sen. Bala Mohammed described the 100th NEC meeting as the miracle of the party after facing numerous controversies and challenges, “they have come out more united, as the PDP is the political party with the pedigree to deliver Nigeria”.
Sen. Bala noted that all past challenges were not created by them, but created for them, which they have been navigating, unlike the other parties, irrespective of the manifestations and the perceptions the PDP is better off.
“The news of people leaving the party are all cosmetic. We are all created to diminish us. But I must thank the leaders and all the organs of the party, especially the BoT, the caucuses of the National Assembly, and most important to my colleagues and the NWC, because everything we are doing, we are doing for the NWC today.
I must tell the world that the NWC has collapsed, all differences, all wranglings”.
“We are all on the same page, no excuse for coalition, no excuse to form any stakeholders meeting other than that of the NWC. We are solidly behind this NWC and governors, and we’ll continue to work as the conscience of the party and other organs of the party to make sure we succeed”, he said.
Only six of the governors elected on the PDP’s platform attended the meeting, Enugu state Governor, Peter Mbah did not show up as he has expressed displeasure for the return of Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary preferring Udey Okoye instead.
All eyes are on the PDP to see how it navigates this new phase of its existence; the National Convention will also provide the party the opportunity to elect new leaders, especially the National Chairman, a position the north central zone of the party is clamoring for.