As the defection fever continues to hit the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party’s national leadership has pleaded with the South East region not to follow through with its threat to dump the party over the national secretary impasse.
The party also blamed recalcitrant members’ antics, external influence, and the slow judicial process for the spate of defections within the party.

But the camp of its former presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, believes the party isn’t doing enough to salvage itself.

The South East PDP warned last week that it would dump the party if the party leadership rejected its nomination for the national secretary position.

The meeting, which was held in Enugu and attended by Enugu State governor Peter Mbah and chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), saw the South East zone renominate Hon Sunday Ude-Okoye, in accordance with the position of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC). However, Senator Samuel Anyanwu has maintained that he remains the national secretary. A new PDP reconciliation committee led by former Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki has been given the task of resolving the frictions ahead of the party’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting on May 27.

The acting national chairman, Amb Illiya Damagum, stated this on Tuesday while addressing PDP executives from the South East, who submitted their nominations for the national secretary position at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Damagum, who was represented by his deputy national chairman, Taofeek Arapaja, said the candidate of the South East would be deliberated on by the NWC and forwarded to the National Executive Committee (NEC).

He said, “The resolution will be discussed at the end of the day, during our next meeting. We will decide on the way forward, which will be forwarded to the NEC, which I am sure you know is fast approaching. We will look at it, we will do justice to it, we will do our best.”

Referring to the threat to leave the PDP over the impasse, he said, “There is something that I read somewhere, but I will ask that you consider your position with the PDP. Well, I know you are unhappy with the situation, and it’s inevitable in any political party as big as this. It’s a natural political practice. We can speak to express our opinion.

“I know you are unhappy, and I understand why you are not satisfied, but we can find a solution even if you are angry. It’s like a landlord running out of his own house because the house is leaking.

“So, we’ll do our best, we’ll do our best to fix the problem, and I know we can do it — together, we can do it. There is a solution. This is the only party that belongs to the people. Yes, it doesn’t belong to anybody. It’s the only party where you can feel peaceful and express your opinion. It’s just like that in any family. So, I want to appeal that we can do it. We can resolve it. And I know we will resolve it. And I know, and I’m sure, that PDP will overcome.

“As I said, the resolution will be thoroughly discussed. We’ll do our best, and as you know, NEC has the final say,” he said.

Sen. Osita Ngwu recounted that on 14 May 2025, the South East Zonal Executive Committee met at Enugu State Government House, and a forum was fully formed.

He said a committee was formed after the meeting and that they visited the party yesterday to present the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.

“Mr Chairman, if you recall, on 31 March 2025, the Supreme Court, which is the apex court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, brought to a close the protracted issue surrounding the puzzle of the national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party. Following that judgement of the Supreme Court, the PDP Government House forum also met in Oyo State on 14 April 2025, and passed a resolution.

“You can also recall that here, at the national office on 29 April, the National Working Committee also met and adopted that resolution of the governors’ forum. And what is that resolution? The resolution is that the South East Zonal Executive Committee should meet and nominate a candidate to fill the national secretary position. Mr Chairman, I need to remind us, or make it clear, that the position of the South East on this issue has always been to find a pathway to a lasting resolution of the impacts and crisis in the PDP. Also, in all intents and purposes, we want to ensure that this party continues progressing well. We seek lasting peace to perform better in the upcoming and subsequent elections.

“Mr Chairman, from our communiqué, which is in this report that I am going to hand over to you, and in the meeting that was recently held by the South East Executive Committee of the party at the Zonal Office, we unanimously agreed and nominated the former youth leader of the party, Rt Honourable S.K. Ude-Okoye, to be our nominee for the position of the national secretary of our great party, the PDP.

“Mr Chairman, we are going to give you this report, and our prayers and our urge and our appeal is that this party should carefully look through even other precedents that have been set in replacement of National Working Committee members or other officers of the committee of the PDP that have been done. We are not trying to set a precedent. We are not trying to do something new because the precedent has been set.

“We are asking you to look at a zone that has been the backdrop and backbone of the PDP, a zone that has delivered all the National Assembly members, all governors to the PDP in the past, a zone that is eager to redeem its past glory. We are praying that the request of this zone should not be jeopardised. Let us look at it based on its merits.

“Let it be a stepping stone in our urge and drive to reposition our party. We are not here to make another request, but we are speaking to our consciences so that whatever decision that is taken at the end should be for the interest of the party and a position that is going to support us, a position that is going to lift the morale of the members of this great party towards sustainable growth and a path of recovery,” he said.

Blames internal, external sabotage for crisis

Meanwhile, the national publicity secretary of PDP, Hon Debo Ologunagba, told LEADERSHIP that the party’s seeming inability to resolve its internal conflict is due to external sabotage, recalcitrant members, and a slow judicial process in addressing matters of unlawful defections.

While he noted that he understands Nigerians’ frustrations over the party’s state — because they still believe it is a viable alternative — the party’s organs are still working to resolve the issues beguiling the party.

PDP has been locked in a crisis of confidence since it lost the 2023 election. The crisis, which includes the offices of the national chairman, national secretary, and recent congresses, stems from a larger battle for the soul of PDP between camps loyal to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister Nyesom Wike and that of Atiku.

Ologunagba said the party’s reconciliation and disciplinary committees are working as they should, but added that cases the party filed in court — especially over the Rivers Emergency Declaration and the defection of lawmakers — have not been given quick attention.

Despite Setbacks, PDP Remains Resilient – Senate

The Senate Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that the party remains strong and is not on the verge of collapse, contrary to widespread insinuations.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, the caucus, led by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), stated emphatically that the PDP “remains very, very strong” and would “continue to grow stronger.” He rejected claims that the party is nearing disintegration.

The caucus assured party members and supporters that the PDP is resilient and will continue to thrive despite ongoing internal conflicts.

“The party remains strong and will continue to wax stronger,” the caucus stated, dismissing reports of its collapse.

It emphasised that internal crises are not peculiar to the PDP, noting that other major political parties — including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP) — also face internal challenges.

Urging members to remain committed and loyal, the caucus expressed confidence that the party leadership’s planned series of activities would rejuvenate the PDP and position it competitively ahead of future elections.

Highlighting the importance of a vibrant opposition, the caucus warned against actions that could lead to a one-party state.

“The beauty of democracy lies in a robust opposition to check the ruling party and ensure good governance. Celebrating the weakening of other parties and promoting a one-party state will not serve the democratic interest of the nation,” he said.

On coalition talks, the caucus expressed openness to the idea but stressed that political parties, not individuals, should initiate and manage such efforts.

“As the biggest opposition party, the PDP’s umbrella is wide enough to accommodate all desirous of a genuine coalition. When and if necessary, the PDP should take the lead,” he added.

The caucus reaffirmed the PDP’s nationwide presence and brand strength, noting that the party maintains structures nationwide and remains a viable alternative to the ruling party.

“From the throes of the current conflicts will emerge a renewed, vibrant party ready to offer Nigerians a credible alternative,” he said.

He further called on all party members to recommit themselves to the party’s values and work together to safeguard democracy in Nigeria.

Atiku’s Camp

However, Atiku’s camp argued yesterday that PDP needs to do more, adding that it missed the mark from the beginning by not sanctioning those who worked against the party.

A senior aide to Atiku, Hon Ola Fabiyi, told LEADERSHIP, “I don’t know what the PDP is doing to halt more defections. They refused to lead the coalition of opposition for selfish reasons. The governors met but couldn’t take decisive positions on all the ills that are affecting the party. People don’t see the PDP as a viable alternative anymore, so the defection will continue.

“The reconciliation committee set up and led by Sen. Bukola Saraki cannot salvage the situation. It will make the problem worse because Saraki is working for Mr Wike.

“The struggle for who the authentic national secretary is is another killer of PDP joy. Whatever the PDP is doing now is not good enough; they should go back to Atiku and plead with him to lead them. Anything other than that is a huge joke,” he said.

LEADERSHIP