The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains at a crossroads as its National Caucus meeting on Monday ended without a clear resolution. Key stakeholders, including the party’s Governors’ Forum, Board of Trustees (BoT), and a peace committee led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki, are expected to reconvene today (Tuesday) in an attempt to break the impasse preventing the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting from holding.
Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, addressed the media following nearly three hours of closed-door discussions in Abuja. “As you can see, we just adjourned our meeting for today (Monday) till tomorrow (today) 10 am,” he said. “We just set up a small committee that would give us a report and tomorrow morning, we’ll continue.”
Asked whether the long-awaited NEC meeting will proceed as planned, Damagum said, “When you come tomorrow, we will answer this question after our meeting.”
Monday’s caucus meeting saw the absence of several prominent party figures, including former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar and Namadi Sambo, as well as ex-Senate President David Mark and former House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal. Their absence from a meeting meant to prepare for the NEC session originally slated for May 27 further underlined the divisions plaguing the party.
Sources at the meeting disclosed to The PUNCH that the adjournment was aimed at giving Saraki’s panel time to consult with key party leaders on Monday night. “The panel will present its proposals on Tuesday morning (today). If accepted, they could pave the way for the NEC to meet. If not, another postponement is likely,” the insider revealed.
PDP’s unresolved grievances and mounting defections
Since the 2023 elections, the PDP has battled internal unrest, ranging from leadership disputes and regional factionalism to unresolved congress crises in zones like Rivers, North Central, and the South-South. A lingering standoff over the National Secretary’s position has fractured the National Working Committee (NWC), while many BoT members’ terms have expired without replacements, further weakening internal cohesion.
The tensions have been inflamed by recent actions from the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike. On Sunday, Wike formally withdrew from prior reconciliation agreements, alleging that his allies were sidelined in key decisions. In his words, the party leadership’s refusal to recognise his loyalists, including Sam Anyanwu, marked a breaking point.
By Monday afternoon, tensions escalated further when the FCTA task force, under Wike’s jurisdiction, sealed the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja over unpaid ground rent. This forced the BoT meeting, initially scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Wadata Plaza, to relocate to Legacy House in Maitama. However, that meeting also failed to hold, with no formal reason provided.
Party insiders say that recent decisions made by Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Peter Mbah (Enugu), and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) have further alienated Wike and his allies. These moves were perceived as attempts to erode Wike’s influence within the party.
Despite repeated interventions from the NWC, BoT, Governors’ Forum, and Saraki’s peace committee, the rift continues to deepen crippling party structures across several states and zones.
PDP Faces Growing Threats Ahead of 2027
The failure to reach consensus comes at a time when the PDP is grappling with major defections. The most significant blow came from Delta State, once a party stronghold, where former vice-presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa, sitting Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and the entire state party structure defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
With Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme, commissioners, local government heads, and party operatives all shifting allegiance, the opposition warns that Nigeria risks sliding toward one-party dominance under the APC.
In December 2024, following pressure from the Governors’ Forum led by Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed, the NWC was directed to fix a date for the NEC meeting. A series of delays followed—from an initial February 2025 plan, to a March 13 proposal in Asaba, then to May 15, and finally to May 27. These repeated postponements reflect the party’s inability to reconcile its divisions.
Umar Damagum, who succeeded Iyorchia Ayu in an acting capacity, has faced mounting scrutiny over his handling of the crisis. With most state chapters in disarray and zonal offices, particularly in the South-South, struggling to function, the party’s national leadership remains largely paralysed.
Unless a breakthrough emerges from today’s meeting, the PDP risks further decline, with growing fears among stakeholders that continued infighting could severely damage its prospects ahead of the 2027 general elections.
