The Peoples Democratic Party seemed to be on the brink of peace as factions had reaffirmed Senator Samuel Anyanwu as its substantive National Secretary, bringing a stop to weeks of internal fighting and speculation about the position.
The decision was made during the party’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting yesterday at its national secretariat in Abuja.
Briefing journalists following the session, PDP Acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum stated that the meeting had a single purpose: to evaluate the outcome of the party’s recent engagement with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the topic.
“As you can see, we just rose from our 100th NEC meeting. This meeting was a one-agenda meeting, which is to discuss the outcome of our interaction with INEC as regards the National Secretary,” Damagum said.
He revealed that the NEC unanimously decided that Senator Anyanwu should stay in his position as National Secretary.
He also stated that the party’s highly anticipated national convention had been postponed until the next NEC meeting, which is now planned for July 23, 2025.
Damagum informed members that the rescheduled convention will carefully follow INEC standards, with formal notices signed jointly by him and Senator Anyanwu.
“We all combined in one effort. We were all together, and we all agreed that Senator Anyanwu will continue to act as national secretary,” he stated.
Addressing concerns that the meeting might mark a new low for the party, Damagum dismissed such speculation as baseless, pointing to the full attendance of PDP governors and key stakeholders as a clear indication of unity and institutional strength.
He said: “To our detractors who thought this meeting would be incongruous and mark the end of the party, the beauty of the PDP is that we know how to solve our problems. We are free and united.”
The Acting National Chairman also signalled the end of the party’s recent surge of public dissension and inconsistent press announcements, stating that the NEC’s decision marked a new chapter of cohesion and strategic planning.
Senator Bala Mohammed, the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and the governor of Bauchi State, also spoke at the gathering and declared that the party is united, dismissing any notion of factions, coalitions, or internal differences.
Mohammed underlined the PDP’s determination to remain a dominant force in Nigeria’s political landscape, saying the party was committed to delivering good government and regaining public trust.
“This is a miracle of the PDP, the party that has history, pedigree, and the human capital to deliver Nigeria. We have been engrossed in controversies and challenges, not created by us, but created for us. Yet, we have been navigating them successfully, unlike other parties,” Mohammed said.
He praised the National Working Committee, NWC, for its efforts in resolving internal disagreements and strengthening party unity, noting that visible signs of discord had been addressed in recent weeks.
“The NWC has collapsed all differences and wranglings. They met before this meeting. What you’ve been seeing in terms of press releases and counter-statements has stopped, and you will not see them again,” he said.
Mohammed also acknowledged the role of the Board of Trustees (BoT), National Assembly caucuses, and state chapters in keeping the party united and effective, particularly at the grassroots level.
“There is no element of wrangling in the state chapters. And that is where our strengths lie. We thank you, our state chairmen, for keeping the party alive, often with limited resources, and ensuring that PDP remains intact and functional,” he noted.
Mohammed dismissed recent media claims of defections and internal rifts as ‘cosmetic’ and intended to harm the PDP’s image.
He argued that the party had remained resilient and unified.
