PDP Postpones Crucial NEC Meeting To Allow Saraki-Led Committee To Foster Party Unity.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has postponed its highly anticipated 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, originally scheduled for Tuesday, 27 May 2025, at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja. The decision, announced by the PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, aims to provide additional time for the reconciliation committee, chaired by former Senate President Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to resolve internal conflicts and ensure a harmonious meeting.
In a statement released on Sunday, 25 May 2025, Senator Anyanwu explained that the postponement was necessary to allow the Saraki-led committee to complete its mandate of addressing longstanding factional disputes within the party. “The postponement is to allow Senator Bukola Saraki’s Reconciliation Committee to complete its assignment of resolving some internal conflicts necessary to have a peaceful NEC meeting,” the statement read, adding that a new date would be announced in accordance with the PDP Constitution 2017 (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2022.
The Saraki-led committee, established following a closed-door meeting of the PDP Governors’ Forum on 11 May 2025, is tasked with unifying aggrieved factions and preparing the party for a rancour-free NEC meeting and the national convention scheduled for August 2025. The seven-member committee, chaired by Saraki, includes Governors Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), and Peter Mbah (Enugu), as well as Senators Seriake Dickson, Ibrahim Dankwambo, and former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. The committee’s work is seen as critical to addressing the PDP’s internal crises, which have been exacerbated by leadership tussles, defections, and disputes over the National Secretary position.
A significant point of contention has been the role of Senator Anyanwu as National Secretary, with a Supreme Court ruling on 21 March 2025 reaffirming his position. Despite this, factions within the party, including some PDP governors and the Board of Trustees, have pushed for his replacement, creating tensions that the Saraki committee is working to resolve. The committee’s efforts have been further complicated by recent developments, including a fallout between former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and some PDP governors, notably Oyo State’s Seyi Makinde, over a breached peace agreement. Wike’s withdrawal from the agreement has added to the party’s challenges, prompting Anyanwu’s decision to delay the NEC meeting.
The postponement has sparked mixed reactions among PDP members. Some, like former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, have expressed cautious optimism about the Saraki committee’s ability to unify the party, while others, including former Deputy National Chairman Bode George, have warned that the PDP’s survival hinges on the success of these reconciliation efforts. “A divided house will remain a defeated house,” George cautioned, urging the committee to remind members of the party’s founding principles.
Posts on X reflect a range of sentiments, with some users praising the postponement as a strategic move to ensure unity, while others expressed frustration over the repeated delays, noting that the NEC meeting has been postponed multiple times since December 2024. One user remarked, “PDP should take that NEC meeting to a hotel to avoid humiliation in the hands of Wike,” highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding Wike’s influence within the party.
The PDP’s leadership remains under pressure to resolve these disputes ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the Saraki committee’s work seen as pivotal to repositioning the party. As the committee continues its consultations, party stakeholders are hopeful that its efforts will pave the way for a unified and revitalised PDP.