PDP GOVERNORS, NWC, BoT MEETING OVER CLOSURE OF NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, NEC INCONCLUSIVE, CONTINUES TODAY

From left: Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal; Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang; Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed; and acting National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, during the party’s caucus meeting at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, yesterday
From left: Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal; Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang; Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed; and acting National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, during the party’s caucus meeting at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, yesterday.

Reacting to the development, PDP acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, described the seal-off as an attempt to stifle democracy and muzzle the opposition. He blamed the action on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government and warned that the PDP would not be intimidated.

“I want to tell you—and I’m sure you already know—that our national office has been sealed. This is the height of irresponsibility by this government. If they’re encouraging it, we won’t take it lightly,” he told journalists after a caucus meeting of the party.

 

“In fact, they can come and arrest all of us. We are ready. But we totally condemn this. It is unacceptable, and we won’t tolerate it. They are trying to undermine democracy, and they will have us to contend with.

“This meeting will continue here tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Damagum said a committee had been constituted to address key issues and would present a report when the meeting resumes.

“As you can see, we’ve adjourned our meeting till tomorrow by 10. We’ve set up a small committee that will report back to us in the morning,” he added. “We’ll properly brief you once the meeting concludes.”

Meanwhile, Daily Trust gathered that the PDP caucus was using the night to assess the legal viability of holding Tuesday’s NEC meeting without running afoul of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines or risking further litigation.

A caucus member familiar with the meeting said the committee was expected to liaise with INEC officials to ensure all procedures conformed with the commission’s regulations.

“Most members of the caucus support going ahead with the NEC meeting tomorrow, but the party doesn’t want to give aggrieved individuals an excuse to run to court,” the source said.

“The committee is consulting with the relevant stakeholders to ensure everything is done properly. The biggest issue is whether INEC will recognise the names signing off on official documents and correspondence, which could help avoid any legal hurdles.”

At the heart of the PDP’s current crisis is a battle for control of the party structure ahead of the 2027 general election.

Sources noted that while Wike is determined to assert his dominance and align the party with President Bola Tinubu’s re-election interests, PDP governors—led by Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and Seyi Makinde of Oyo—are resisting such moves.

The internal wrangling was on full display Monday night, as the caucus meeting ended in a stalemate. Sources said the deep divisions over the control of the party and legitimacy of key national officers left the meeting unable to reach a consensus.

Attendees at the meeting included members of the National Working Committee (NWC), led by Damagum and acting National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo; the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bala Mohammed; and the Board of Trustees (BoT), led by Senator Adolphus Wabara with Senator Ahmed Makarfi as secretary.

Despite hours of deliberation, the caucus failed to agree on a clear path forward.

Daily Trust