By John Umeh
PDP’s House on Fire — When Unity Turns to Uproar
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) — once Africa’s largest political family — has once again descended into chaos.
On Saturday, what began as a National Working Committee (NWC) emergency meeting in Abuja quickly spiraled into a full-blown leadership war, leaving Nigeria’s oldest ruling party on the brink of implosion.
Barely 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja halted the PDP’s planned national convention slated for November 15, the NWC announced the suspension of key national officers, citing constitutional breaches and gross misconduct.
But in a stunning twist, a rival faction — led by one of the suspended officials — struck back within hours, suspending the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and five other senior officers, including the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
By the end of the day, the PDP was left with two rival “leaderships,” each claiming legitimacy, authority, and loyalty to the party’s founding ideals.
What was meant to be a disciplinary correction has now snowballed into a crisis threatening the very foundation of the 26-year-old political institution.
The NWC’s Hammer — Anyanwu, Bature, and Others Suspended
At the heart of the turmoil lies the decision of the PDP’s National Working Committee to suspend four of its own top officials for one month.
Those affected include:
-
Senator Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary
-
Umar Bature, National Organising Secretary
-
Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), National Legal Adviser
-
Okechukwu Osuoha, Deputy National Legal Adviser
According to the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the suspensions were in accordance with Sections 58 and 59 of the party’s constitution.
“The affected officers have been referred to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action,” Ologunagba said, stressing that the decision was reached after “a thorough review of activities that undermined the unity and integrity of the party.”
During the suspension period, the party directed Hon. Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary, to act as National Secretary, while the National Director of Legal Services was mandated to oversee legal affairs.
But before the ink on the suspension letters dried, the move was met with fierce retaliation — this time from within the same NWC.
The Counterstrike — Anyanwu’s Faction Fights Back
In a dramatic response, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the suspended National Secretary, held a separate press briefing in Abuja, announcing the suspension of Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, Debo Ologunagba, and four other senior officials.
Flanked by loyalists, Anyanwu claimed that Damagum and his allies had engaged in anti-party activities, financial mismanagement, and deliberate disobedience of court orders.
He alleged that the Acting Chairman continued to recognise a previously expelled South-East Zonal Chairman — an act he described as “illegal and contemptuous of a valid court judgment.”
“For too long, indiscipline has festered within the NWC,” Anyanwu declared.
“Certain individuals have hijacked the leadership structure for selfish ends, undermining the unity of our great party. We cannot continue this way.”
The faction also accused the National Publicity Secretary, Ologunagba, of issuing unauthorised statements that “embarrassed and confused” the party, while the Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, was faulted for failing to caution the Acting Chairman on alleged misdeeds.
In a sweeping decision, the faction further suspended Daniel Woyengikuro, National Financial Secretary, and Mohammed Kadende, National Youth Leader, citing misconduct and neglect of duty.
Faction Names New Leadership — A Party Split Down the Middle
Amid the back-and-forth suspensions, Anyanwu’s faction moved swiftly to fill what it described as a “leadership vacuum.”
The National Vice Chairman (North Central), Mohammed Abdulrahman, was announced as the new Acting National Chairman, pending ratification by the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Similarly, the Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, was appointed as interim spokesperson of the party.
Anyanwu claimed that the National Legal Adviser, who joined the meeting virtually from Canada, endorsed the decisions reached by the faction.
“These actions are not to divide the PDP but to save it from collapse,” he maintained. “We must restore discipline, transparency, and respect for the constitution.”
But the opposing camp led by Damagum dismissed the counter-suspensions as “a nullity,” insisting that only the officially constituted NWC could take disciplinary action.
Party insiders say the current crisis reflects deeper fractures within the PDP — one largely fueled by internal rivalry between camps loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and those aligned with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The ongoing feud, many fear, could derail the opposition’s hopes of rebuilding ahead of the 2027 general elections.
A Party at War with Itself — The Road Ahead
For observers, the latest round of suspensions is symptomatic of a larger leadership vacuum and ideological confusion within the PDP.
The party, once known for its slogan “Power to the People,” now appears consumed by internal power struggles and legal battles.
Political analysts note that unless the PDP reconciles its warring factions, it risks alienating its base and losing further credibility as a viable alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The PDP is at a crossroads,” says Abuja-based political commentator, Tunde Bamisaye. “The leadership must choose between self-destruction and reinvention. This endless cycle of suspensions, court cases, and counterclaims only weakens their political capital.”
Meanwhile, efforts at reconciliation remain uncertain. With the party’s national convention halted by the courts and rival groups claiming authority, the battle for control of Wadata Plaza — the PDP’s national headquarters — is set to intensify.
For now, the once-formidable opposition stands divided, its unity tested by ambition, mistrust, and personal interest.
Whether the PDP can rise from this internal storm — or crumble under the weight of its own contradictions — remains to be seen.
One thing is clear: the struggle for the soul of the PDP is far from over.
And as the storm rages on, Nigeria’s political landscape watches — with both concern and curiosity — as a party once built on unity now fights for its survival.
