Wike Prevails as PDP NEC Succumbs to Pressure, Reinstates Anyanwu as National Secretary

…Convention plans deferred to July 23 as party moves to comply with INEC regulations

..Bala Mohammed, Saraki, Bode George laud restoration of party unity

By James Adamu in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved its internal leadership crisis by reinstating Senator Samuel Anyanwu as its National Secretary, following a tense 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Monday July 30, 2025.

The decision, seen as a victory for the camp loyal to former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, came amid efforts to stabilise the party ahead of its upcoming national convention.

The party’s acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, confirmed the resolution in a press briefing after the NEC session, which was initially marred by factional disputes and a heavy police presence at the PDP headquarters.

“This was a single agenda meeting to address the outcome of our consultations with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding the National Secretary’s position,” Damagum stated.

“We unanimously agreed that Senator Anyanwu will resume his duties as National Secretary”, he declared.

He further disclosed that a comprehensive NEC meeting has been scheduled for July 23 to finalise preparations for the party’s national convention, ensuring compliance with INEC’s regulatory requirements.

In a veiled rebuke to internal critics, Damagum emphasised the PDP’s resilience, declaring: “To our detractors who believed this meeting would derail or mark the party’s end, the beauty of the PDP is that it remains the only party in Nigeria capable of convening a credible convention and resolving its crises. All governors and National Working Committee (NWC) members were united today. The era of divisive press statements is over.”

He also cautioned party members against “demarketing” the PDP, warning:

“If you truly love this party, channel your energy into promoting its strengths rather than undermining it. Those hired to destroy us should take note: enough is enough.”

Bala Mohammed, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, hailed the resolution as a testament to the party’s enduring strength.

“The PDP has the pedigree and human capital to lead Nigeria. Recent controversies were externally manufactured, but we have navigated them better than any other party. Reports of mass defections are exaggerated—designed only to diminish us.”

Mohammed confirmed that the NWC had reconciled internal divisions, adding:

“The NWC has collapsed all differences. The era of conflicting press releases is over. We stand firmly behind this leadership.”

Earlier tensions flared when over 200 police and civil defence personnel barricaded the PDP headquarters, preventing the Board of Trustees (BoT) from holding a scheduled meeting. The move, allegedly ordered “from above,” drew sharp condemnation from party elders.

Chief Bode George, a BoT member, lambasted the action as undemocratic: “They turned our secretariat into a garrison, as if this were North Korea or Russia. Who is this ‘above’ issuing such orders? We know the voice of Jacob but the hand of Esau. Let sleeping dogs lie, Nigeria has bigger problems to address.”

Senator Ibrahim Tsauri, another BoT member, confirmed: “We were told an order from above barred our meeting. This is unacceptable in a democracy.”

Saraki Declares “No Victor, No Vanquished”.

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who chairs the PDP Reconciliation Committee, framed the outcome as a triumph for democracy. In a statement, he declared: “Today, there was no victor and no vanquished. The PDP and Nigeria’s democracy are the winners. Without a strong opposition, democracy fails.”

Saraki praised leaders who compromised for unity and outlined next steps: “We must now focus on the July 23 NEC meeting and a hitch-free convention. Those who predicted the PDP’s demise have been proven wrong.”