PDP: How state congresses reopened old wounds 

By Clifford Ndujihe & Luminous Jannamike

FOR the main absorption Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the authorities congresses slated for precocious September 2025 were expected to solidify power of authorities chapters, reconfigure leadership, and reconstruct interior coherence up of the nationalist normal successful November.

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However, they person reopened aged enactment wounds and exposed the heavy fractures successful the party: feuds astatine the top, inconsistent messaging, clashing loyalties, and doubts astir procedural legitimacy.

Rather than being organizational stepping stones, these congresses turned into flash-points for unresolved disputes—especially astir the nationalist secretariat, the relation of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and conflicting authorization betwixt organs of the PDP.

Damagum vs Anyanwu

Now, the National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, are astatine daggers drawn, each citing provisions of the party’s amended 2017 constitution arsenic back-up.

Within 2 days, things degenerated truthful accelerated that immoderate observers feared that the November 15-16 National normal successful Ibadan, Oyo State mightiness beryllium affected.

Anyanwu voids dissolution of Akwa Ibom exco

The situation took a melodramatic crook connected Wednesday erstwhile Senator Anyanwu declared that the Akwa Ibom State Working Committee of the PDP remained undissolved, openly countering a property merchandise earlier issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

In a missive dated October 1, 2025, and addressed to the Akwa Ibom State PDP Chairman, Aniekan Akpan, the nationalist caput insisted that the purported dissolution should beryllium disregarded, stressing that nary ceremonial gathering of the National Working Committee, NWC, was held to authorise specified a decision. “For purposes of clarity, that property merchandise should beryllium discountenanced, due to the fact that determination was nary ceremonial sitting of the National Working Committee successful which specified a determination was taken,” helium wrote.

Anyanwu accused the National Publicity Secretary of exceeding his mandate by attempting to enforce a determination that had nary backing from the NWC.

“It is not successful the authoritative presumption and duties of the National Publicity Secretary to instrumentality actions relating to the implementation of the decisions of the National Working Committee of our large Party; arsenic a result, the purported property merchandise is null and void and of nary effect,” Anyanwu stated.

Declaring the authorization of the Akwa Ibom State enactment intact, helium affirmed that the State Working Committee ‘stands undissolved.’ “You are hereby directed to proceed successful your duties arsenic provided successful the PDP Constitution 2017 arsenic Amended,” helium concluded successful the missive to Akpan.

Damagum undermining my bureau — Anyanwu

Undone, Senator Anyanwu successful a missive to Damagum, which was published arsenic an advertorial connected Thursday, alleged that the nationalist president was undermining his bureau contrary to Section 36 of the PDP Constitution and urged him to desist successful the involvement of the party.

Regarding the Akwa Ibom clash, helium wrote: “It has go imperative to formally bring to your attraction the usurpation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution, 2017 arsenic amended. And the changeless infraction of the duties of the bureau of the nationalist secretary.

“Section 36 (1) b and e of the PDP Constitution 2017 arsenic amended intelligibly states inter alia: b) that the National Secretary shall “conduct oregon nonstop the behaviour of the correspondences of the Party and origin to beryllium issued notices of meetings of the National Convention, National Executive Committee, National Caucus and nationalist Working Committee: and e) shall guarantee the implementation of the decisions and directives of the National Convention, National Executive Committee, National Caucus, and guarantee that each units of the enactment transportation retired their duties promptly and efficiently.

“Instructively, t...