The crisis of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be far from over even as political analysts and the public look forward to the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
The main opposition parties have set February 29th as the date for the NEC meeting. However, recent developments within the party could undermine public and political analysts’ expectations for a viable opposition party.
Naija News reports that the party’s former presidential candidate, Dele Momodu, in an interview blamed the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, for the party’s crisis due to its defeat in the 2022 presidential primaries. Reported.
Issues to be considered at NEC
The NEC meeting was expected to resolve the internal crisis in the party centered around Wike Rivers State Governor Siminalai Hubala. Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, Chairman, PDP Governors Forum; The crisis in the National Labor Commission and the position of National Secretary between Mr. Samuel Anyanwu and Mr. Sunday Ude Okoye.
Wike vs Bala Mohammed
Trouble between the PDP Governor Chairman and the former Rivers State Governor began after the party’s Governors Forum expressed support for Governor Hubala.
But the conflict intensified when Wike criticized the Bauchi state governor for opposing President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bill.
Reacting to Mr Wike’s criticism, Governor Mohammed, through his media aide, Mr Mukhtar Gidad, described the FCT minister as a “transactional” politician and a “responsible person”.
“His recent media outburst is yet another reminder of his transactional approach to politics, where personal ambitions overshadow loyalties, principles and collective interests,” Muhammad said. Ta.
As expected, Wike, a PDP lawmaker and currently the FCT Minister in the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, sacked the Bauchi State governor for incompetence.
He also accused him of contributing to the party’s crisis by assuming the post of chairman of the party’s Governors’ Forum. According to Wike, a southern governor should hold the job.
“It is strange that a well-known fair-weather politician like Bala Mohammed would call others transactional politicians.
“Firstly, Governor Bala Mohammed is holding the position of Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum out of political greed because according to custom and practice, the position should be held by one of the PDP governors in the South. .”
“The reason is that the immediate past chairman of the forum was from North Korea, the same as the PDP national chairman,” he said.
National Reconciliation Committee led by Silent Olagunsoye Oyinlola
The PDP made a major move, establishing a highly ambitious Olagunsoye Oyinlola-led National Reconciliation Commission.
The committee was charged with reaching out to all affected party members to form a solid front against the APC government.
The commission was established in August 2024, but it is debatable whether it has lived up to expectations. The PDP lost two governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, with some analysts blaming the party for the crisis. Also, the last time the Oyinlola-led National Reconciliation Committee met with the party’s NWC was on October 23, 2024.
It was also hoped that the committee’s progress would lead to a peaceful NEC meeting in February. The PDP leader told Vanguard that if the NEC has to hold, the commission will have to put out fresh fires.
The fire will be a crisis for the party’s acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, and the Rivers State leadership.
“The Commission certainly needs to put out new fires. We cannot confirm whether the NEC meeting, which has been postponed for the third consecutive time, will be held in February as planned.
“Damagum and his stiff choir are already looking for another excuse to postpone the meeting. We have all these problems at different levels, so it remains to be seen whether reason will prevail.” said the official.
Rivers State PDP Branch, Mr. Wike, Governor Hubala.
The political crisis between Mr. Wike and Governor Hubala in Rivers State has been well known to political analysts and the public, but new developments could hamper the NEC.
The twist lies in who will be in charge of the state party organization. This particular issue divided the National Working Committee.
The recent judgment by the Rivers State High Court was welcomed by some NWC members as it affirms the leadership of factions loyal to Hubala.
PDP National Public Relations Secretary Debo Ologunagba, National Treasurer Ahmed Yayari and National Legal Advisor Kamaludeen Ajibade accepted the judgment.
Mr Ologunagba, who issued a statement expressing this position, said: “The NWC of the PDP acknowledges that it has received, considered and hereby accepts the judgment of the Rivers State High Court in Case No. 2.”
PHC/2301/CS/2024 nullifies our party’s ward, local government and state assemblies in Rivers State held on July 27, August 10 and August 31, 2024 respectively. did. ”
Mr. Ologunagba reaffirmed earlier statements about the party’s leadership in Rivers State, saying in an interview with Vanguard: Robinson Ewole and his executives.
“As a law-abiding political party, we implore Mr. Ewole and his team to unite behind Governor Siminalai Hubala and fulfill his promise of good governance to the people of Rivers State. At the national level, We give them the support they need to succeed.”
Damagum, Samuel and Bature say no.
However, the party’s Damagum national committee chairman. National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; Umar Batule, the national organization’s secretary general, and some elected officials rejected the idea.
For example, Ibrahim Abdullahi, Deputy National Publicity, who belongs to the Damagum camp, refuted Ologunagba’s declaration with a disclaimer.
He said the Damagum-led NWC did not accept the ruling. He questioned why Mr. Ologunagba would issue a statement of acceptance.
“The NWC has not accepted the judgment of River State and has accepted the judgment of former colleagues led by Ewoh. That is not true. The NWC has not been held since September last year. This is subject to your verification. I wonder where he would now say that the NWC has silently fully adopted or accepted the verdict in recognition of Mr. Ewu, the former co-owner of the state,” he said.
Anyanwu, Ude Okoye crisis
Another pending issue that needed to be nipped but may be difficult to nip before the NEC in February is the national secretaryship issue between Mr. Samuel Anyanwu and Mr. Ude Okoye.
The High Court and the Court of Appeal ruled that Sunday Ude-Okoye was the rightful occupier.
However, Senator Anyangwu filed a suit with the Supreme Court seeking his removal. He also said he will continue to serve due to the pending case at the Supreme Court and his application for a stay of enforcement of both courts’ orders.
While the Damagum faction accepted his argument, Mr. Ologunagba, his colleagues and the Board of Directors of the Party (BoT) did not accept his logic. As the day approaches, political analysts expect improvements from the opposition.
