By Eric Elezuo
The more the embattled main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attempt to find a solution to its myriad of internal changes, the more they plunge deeper into crisis.
With weeks to the much advertised November convention, all seems not to be well with the once biggest party in Africa as the crisis is presently pitched between two of the most important officers of the party; the Chairman, Alhaji Umar Iliya Demagum and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu. Both are locked in supremacy battle.
Recall that not long ago, the party made some consessions in a bid to end its long drawn crises, a fallout of the 2023 election loss, reconcile and encourage everyone to shealth their swords. Consequently, Demagum was made the substantive chairman while Senator Anyanwu was recognized as the authentic Secretary. The party concluded the rebranding moves by zoning the 2027 presidential slot to the south, prompting the likes of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, to abandon his presidential ambition.
The party got enmeshed in troubled waters when it replaced Anyanwu as a result of his involvement in the Imo gubernatorial election, claiming that his duties were neglected. But Anyanwu had insisted on returning to his position after the failed effort to be Imo governor. But the party had refused before peace was brokered, creating a room for him to return as secretary, aided by the former governor of Rivers State, who is now as Federal Capital Territory minister, Nyesom Wike.
But a fresh crisis suddenly raised its head to return the party to a path they seem to have left. It was the Akwa-Ibom question.
The fresh crisis began when the Party dissolved the Akwa Ibom State Executive Committee and approved caretaker committees to run the affairs of both its Akwa Ibom and Cross River state chapters, in a major shake-up of the party’s structures in the South-South.
This was announced in a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Ologunagba insisted that the decisions were taken pursuant to the powers conferred on the NWC under the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).
“The National Working Committee (NWC) of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has at its meeting today, Tuesday, September 30th, 2025, pursuant to its powers under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) approved the dissolution of the Akwa State Executive of the Party,” Ologunagba said.
The statement informed that for the Akwa Ibom branch, the NWC approved a 31-member caretaker committee to oversee the party’s affairs for a period not exceeding three months, or until new elections are held.
The committee is chaired by Igwat Umoren, with Harrison Ekpo as deputy chairman and Borono Bassey as secretary. Other key officers named include Bar. Ewa Okpo as publicity secretary, Emman Mbong as organizing secretary, Hon. Aniekan Asuquo as youth leader, Mary Silvia Abara as woman leader, and Barr. Enoch Enoch as legal adviser.
In the Cross River axis, the NWC said the decision followed the expiration of the four-year tenure of the state executive.
An 18-member caretaker committee, led by Rt. Hon. Bassey Eko Ewa as chairman and Dr. Bassey Joseph Adim as secretary, will assume control of the chapter with effect from October 1, 2025, for a similar three-month period.
“The Caretaker Committee is to manage the affairs of the Party in Cross River State from Wednesday, October 1st, 2025 for a period not exceeding 3 months, or until such a time a new State Executive Committee will be elected in the State,” Ologunagba said.
But Anyanwu, in a swift reaction, countered Ologunagba’s statement, dismissing it as “null and void,” insisting the National Working Committee (NWC) never approved such action, but the party through Ologunagba said otherwise. It is important to note that Ologunagba acted on behalf of the NWC, which the Chairman, Demagum heads. Anyanwu’s rejection of the action is deemed as a challenge to the authority of the party chairman.
In a statement, the PDP National Secretary noted as follows:
“My attention has been drawn to the purported press release by the National Publicity Secretary of our party announcing the dissolution of the State Working Committee of Akwa Ibom State.
“For purposes of clarity, that press release should be discountenanced because there was no formal sitting of the National Working Committee in which such decision was taken.
“It is not in the official capacity and duties of the National Publicity Secretary to take actions relating to the implementation of the decisions of the National Working Committee of our great party. As a result, the purported press release is null and void and of no effect. The state working committee of the PDP Akwa Ibom State stands undissolved.
“Please consider this letter as the rightful authority for you to continue in your duties as provided in the PDP Constitution 2017 as amended.”
Supporting the position of the national secretary, the removed Akwa Ibom chairman, Elder Aniekan Akpan, after an emergency meeting of the state executive committee in Uyo, declared that he remained the authentic state chairman.
Addressing the press, he urged party members and the public to disregard the dissolution notice, insisting the NWC had not properly sat to make such a decision.
To further contradict the stand of the NWC, one of the elected state exco members listed in the caretaker committee, Ekpong Edem, also rejected his inclusion, describing the new committee as “illegal.”
Edem pledged loyalty to the Akpan-led executive where he currently serves as Senatorial Vice Chairman.
At the end of its meeting, the state executive committee passed a vote of confidence in Akpan, further deepening the rift over the disputed dissolution, and creating wilder gulf between Demagum and Anyanwu.
But reacting, the party came down heavily on members, cautioning them against divided loyalty ahead of its much-publicised national convention.
At an interactive session held in Abuja, Hon Ologunagba, restated that the party’s constitution forbids dual party membership and unauthorised actions capable of undermining internal cohesion within its rank. He denied speculation of internal conflict ahead of the convention slated for the15–16 November 2025, PDP cautioned members from Akwa-Ibom state, where conflicting statements from the party hierarchy over the dissolution of the state chapter has continued to surface in the media.
Ologunagba noted that “Our constitution does not allow anyone to belong to two parties at once, and we will not tolerate actions that undermine unity.
“What some see as conflict is, in fact, democracy in action. The national chairman provides overall leadership and can summon meetings, while the national secretary carries out administrative duties. The secretary cannot unilaterally call meetings or release statements without approval,” he said.
Citing Section 35 of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended), which outlines the functions of the National Chairman, the spokesman stated further: “There shall be a National Chairman who shall be the chief executive of the Party and his functions shall be:
“35 (1) (a) summon and preside over the meetings of the National Convention, the National Executive Committee, the National Caucus and the National Working Committee of the Party;
“35 (1) (d) assign specific functions to any member or officer of the Party.”
Meanwhile, the PDP has played down the crisis, insisting that the scenario was just a misunderstanding of roles within the party.
Ologunagba, in another statement, explained that there is no leadership tussle, adding that the duties of Anyanwu, are limited to handling minor administrative issues such as diesel supply and parking space allocation at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Ologunagba said recent media reports suggesting a rift among party leaders are exaggerated and do not reflect the true situation. According to him, the PDP remains united and focused on repositioning itself ahead of future elections.
Ologunagba explained that the situation, being described as a crisis, was merely a misunderstanding about who is responsible for what in the day-to-day running of the party. He said some people may have misinterpreted normal administrative functions as a power struggle.
“There is no crisis in our great party. What we have is a simple issue of clarification about who performs certain administrative roles,” he said. “Senator Anyanwu’s functions have been clearly defined. He is only to oversee logistical issues like diesel supply and parking arrangements within the party secretariat. There is no confusion about that.”
Ologunagba accused some media outlets of sensationalising routine party matters, saying that journalists should be more careful when reporting internal issues. “Some reports have blown things out of proportion. The PDP is not at war with itself,” he said. “The so-called crisis is simply an administrative adjustment which happens in every organisation. We are united, strong, and ready to serve Nigerians better.”
The PDP spokesperson also accused rival parties of sponsoring misleading stories to create the impression that the PDP is in disarray. He claimed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is particularly threatened by the renewed unity within the PDP, especially as the opposition begins consultations ahead of the next general election.
“The APC knows that the PDP is their only real competition,” Ologunagba said. “That is why they are trying to plant stories about imaginary crises. Nigerians are wiser now; they know who truly represents their interests.”
Ologunagba also alleged that the dissolved executives were under the influence of Pastor Umo Eno, the governor of Akwa Ibom, who had defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“In Akwa Ibom state, the governor has left. At both the national working committee and party level, there seems to be no distinction between the state executives and their alignment with the All Progressives Congress, APC,” he said.
“Section 10, sub-section 6 of the party constitution states, ‘No member of the party shall align with other parties or groups to undermine the party or any of its selected governments. Belonging to two parties is an anathema.’
“We believe the Akwa Ibom executives are controlled by the governor who joined the APC. He openly said on tape that he would oversee both parties, which is unacceptable and undermines the PDP.”
For more than two decades, the PDP has dominated Akwa Ibom politics, but it lost control in June after the governor defected to the APC.
Eno became the second PDP governor in the south-south region, after Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, to defect to the APC within two months, raising concerns about party cohesion.
Four months after his defection, the PDP dissolved its state executives in Akwa Ibom to “restore order, reassert control, and prevent further erosion of its structure” in the state.
For a while now, the PDP has struggled to revalidate itself with mass defections depleting its workforce and membership. In recent times, majority of its high ranking members including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had left to form a coalition under the umbrella of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
How PDP can snap out of its present quagmire to present a formidable opposition against the ruling APC still remains to be seen, but time will tell.
