Breaking: 11 NWC members reject Anyanwu’s return as PDP secretary

 Eleven out of 19 members of the National Working Committee  of the Peoples Democratic Party have rejected the return of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary, thus signalling a new twist in the internal crisis rocking the opposition party.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the 11 NWC members also insisted that the party’s National Executive Committee meeting scheduled for Monday, June 30, 2025, would hold as planned.

They dismissed claims made by the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, that Anyanwu had been asked to resume duties and that the NEC meeting had been cancelled.

“Furthermore, the claim by Amb. Damagum that Sen. Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the Party is therefore misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.

“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, 30th June, 2025, has not been cancelled or postponed,” the statement read.

The rejection comes just hours after Damagum, flanked by party leaders including Bauchi State Governor and PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman, Bala Mohammed, and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, told reporters after a visit to the Independent National Electoral Commission that Anyanwu had been reinstated and that the NEC meeting had been replaced by an Expanded Caucus meeting.

But the NWC 11 firmly pushed back, arguing that no individual or organ of the party has the constitutional authority to override NEC resolutions.

“The pronouncements by the Acting National Chairman have no foundation.

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“No organ of the party, including the NWC, individual or group, has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the NEC under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).

“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention.

“By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday, 30th June 2025, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters, and members of the party,” they said.

NWC members who signed the statement include:

• Amb. Taofeek Arapaja (Deputy National Chairman, South)
• Hon. (Arc) Setonji Koshoedo (Ag. National Secretary)
• Hon. Ahmed Yayari Mohammed (National Treasurer)
• Sir Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel (National Auditor)
• Hon. Debo Ologunagba (National Publicity Secretary)
• Woyengikuro Daniel, Ph.D. (National Financial Secretary)
• High Chief Ali Odefa (National Vice Chairman, South-East) Hon. Emmanuel Ogidi (Caretaker Committee Chair, South-South)
• Hon. Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm (National Woman Leader)
• Sen. Bello Hayatu Gwarzo, CON (National Vice Chairman, North-West)
• Hon. Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese (National Vice Chairman, South-West)