PDP crisis: New twists over national convention

There are new twists in the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the party is split into two camps ahead of its national convention slated for Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on November 15 and 16, 2025. Credible sources told our correspondent yesterday that while governors who are members of the party are in […]

There are new twists in the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the party is split into two camps ahead of its national convention slated for Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on November 15 and 16, 2025.

Credible sources told our correspondent yesterday that while governors who are members of the party are in one camp with the national chairman, Umar Damagum,  the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is in another camp with the national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.

A source hinted to our correspondent that both parties were  at  loggerheads over which camp controls the structure of the party after the Ibadan convention, and fields candidates for the 2027 general elections.

 

Conflicting letters

In a letter dated September 24, 2025,  the National Working Committee (NWC) through the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced that the party’s congresses in Cross River and Plateau States, earlier scheduled for September 27, 2025 had been postponed.

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“The NWC urges all leaders, critical stakeholders, teeming members of the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the media, security agencies and the general public to note the postponement and be guided accordingly,” the letter read in part.

But in a counter letter to INEC, dated September 26, the PDP National Secretary Anyanwu, insisted that the congresses would proceed as earlier scheduled.

“This is to confirm to the commission that the congress will hold as originally scheduled and has not been postponed. The earlier letter signed by the national chairman should be ignored,” Anyanwu stated.

Pundits say the crisis over congresses followed the quest by the two camps to control the structure of the party beyond the convention.

“Those that are not working with Damagum and the governors introduce underhand dealings into it, the party saw what they want to do and cancelled the congresses in the affected states,” a credible source in the party told our correspondent.

“If you remember, Cross River was where the zonal congress of those loyal to Wike was held, the party is being careful with the situation there. So, they cancelled it. If the thing is not done properly, the governors and NWC will lose Cross River. So, that is where this crux of the matter is.

“That’s why the party cancelled all the congresses and it didn’t hold. There is no way Damagum will write to INEC and then Anyanwu will write to INEC and INEC will consider the secretary above the chairman.

“So, INEC knows that there is a problem and they will not go there until they all sit down and agree before INEC will accept,” he said.

 

We’ll soon address the issues – Spokesman

Meanwhile, the PDP spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, told Daily Trust that the party would address the issues before the convention.

Also, a member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), Timothy Osadolor, told Daily Trust that the convention date remains sacrosanct, adding that the issues were not serious and would be resolved as soon as possible.

“This is a political party, this type of situation is not strange. But the national convention is on course. This is something that will be resolved this week or any moment soon, so it is not something to worry about,” he said.

On his part, a chieftain of the party and former spokesman to Vice President Namadi Sambo, Umar Sani, told Daily Trust that the FCT Minister was trying to use his ally, Anyanwu, to force the PDP into accepting his conditions.

He said, “If you remember, Nyesom Wike called a meeting of some of his people that he called Concerned Critical Stakeholders of the party and in that meeting, he gave some of the conditions that will make him allow the convention to hold. One of them was that the party must  accept the South-South Congress which produced his ally, Dan Orbih as zonal chairman.

“Second, that the party must re-conduct the South-East zonal Congress because of the court order, and that the Anambra State Congress must be completed and some other congresses which he mentioned.”

He said, “Anyanwu and Wike had perfected how to take over the affected states and that was why the NWC canceled the congresses.”

He said their strategy was to capture those states and use the executive to their own advantage at the national convention.

 

Crisis delaying preparations for  convention – Organising C’ttee

Following the controversy, the National Convention Organising Committee has extended the deadline for the submission of completed expression of interest and nomination forms by aspirants contesting various offices at the convention.

The PDP Spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, also said the committee has approved the shifting of the date for the screening of aspirants for the convention from September 30, 2025.  He explained that the extension was necessary to ensure that all arrangements for the smooth conduct of the exercise were made.

“New dates will be communicated in due course and all aspirants should note the extension and be guided accordingly,” he added.