Security forces have blocked members of the board of
trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from meeting at the party
headquarters in Abuja.
Security operatives prevented members of the BoT from
entering the national executive committee (NEC) hall to hold their meeting on
Monday morning.
The BoT has now moved the meeting to the Yar’Adua Centre in
the Central Business District, Abuja.
On June 26, the BoT kicked against the pronouncement of
Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary of the PDP.
The BoT had also accused Umar Damagum, acting national
chairman of the party, of “gross abuse of office” for making the announcement.
BACKGROUND
The crisis within the opposition party recently took a new
turn.
During a press conference last Wednesday, Damagum affirmed
Anyanwu as the party’s national secretary.
Present at the briefing were Bala Mohammed, governor of
Bauchi and chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum; Abba Moro, senator
representing Benue south and minority leader of the senate; along with other
party officials.
Damagum also announced that the meeting initially scheduled
for June 30 has been cancelled and that an expanded caucus meeting will be held
instead.
Anyanwu was affirmed after members of the PDP NWC and
several governors met with Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC), and other senior officials.
However, in a joint statement, 11 NWC members said Anyanwu
was not reinstated as the party’s scribe and that the NEC meeting will be held
on June 30.
The PDP board of trustees (BoT) also rejected Anyanwu’s
affirmation and rescheduling of the NEC meeting by Damagum.
Adolphus Wabara, PDP BoT chairman, said Damagum’s
cancellation of the NEC meeting was an “abuse of office”.
Anyanwu, Sunday Udeh-Okoye, and Setonji Koshoedo have each
laid claim to the PDP national secretary position.
TheCable understands that party members insisting that the
NEC meeting must hold today include Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo; Peter Mbah,
his Enugu counterpart; and 11 members of the NWC.
Those backing the national caucus meeting are Bala Mohammed,
governor of Bauchi and chairman of the PDP Governors Forum; Damagum; Umar
Bature, national organising secretary; and Kamaldeen Ajibade, national legal
adviser.
‘NEC HOLDS TODAY’
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Taofeek Arapaja,
deputy national chairman (south), who was flanked by members of the NWC, said
the NEC will be held today.
He said, among other things, the NEC will receive updates on
the activities of the zoning committee and the national convention organising
committee.
“By virtue of section 31(3) of the constitution of the PDP
(as amended in 2017) the Monday, 30th June, 2025 date for the 100th NEC meeting
is binding on all organs and members, and as such no organ, group or officer of
the Party has the power to alter, change, vary, veto or convert the already
convened NEC meeting,” he said.
“Contrary to a purported notice being circulated in the
social media suggesting that the 100th NEC meeting has been converted to a
special expanded national caucus meeting, the NWC states in clear terms that
the said notice did not emanate from the PDP and should be disregarded.
“The NWC emphasises that there is no provision whatsoever
for an expanded national caucus in the constitution of the PDP or any guideline
of the party.
“For the avoidance of doubt, section 30 of the constitution
of the PDP is unambiguous in providing for a national caucus for the party with
its composition, functions and meetings clearly spelt out, leaving no room for
any form of expansion.
“The suggestion, proposal or announcement for a special
expanded national caucus meeting’ is therefore unconstitutional and cannot take
any decision for the PDP being not a recognised organ or body in the PDP.”
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