By Lateef Ibrahim
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reinstated an ally of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, as its National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, after a meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Acting PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum, disclosed this at a press briefing, yesterday, after the party’s leadership on Tuesday, held a closed-door meeting with INEC officials at the electoral body’s office in Abuja.
Mr Damagum said the decision to return Mr Anyanwu to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), “was a difficult decision but it was accepted by many members of the party lead by the organs of the party.”
Also disclosing that the party’s planned NEC meeting had been cancelled, Mr Damagum stated that, “We will have an expanded Caucus, at the next caucus we will take a decision leading to a proper NEC. Anyanwu is resuming as the National Secretary, that is why I said it was a critical decision. Like INEC said they don’t have our notice, so what we will have on June 30th is an extended caucus.”
Alongside Mr Damagum, at the briefing were Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; and other party stakeholders.
The reinstatement of Mr Anyanwu into the position followed INEC’s rejection of PDP’s notice to convene its NEC meeting on June 30, 2025, over procedural non-compliance, after the party’s notice had only Mr Damagum’s signature.
According to the electoral body, in a letter date June 13, 2025, the PDP failed to comply with Part 2(12)(3) of the 2022 INEC Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, which required that notices for such meetings must be jointly signed by a party’s national chairperson and the national secretary.To restore discipline and cohesion within the ranks, Eluaka stated that henceforth, all party dealings would be conducted directly with LGA and ward chairmen on an individual basis.
He warned that any meeting convened by the now-dissolved forums or any unsanctioned group would be deemed illegal and subject to disciplinary action.
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