S’South congress deepens PDP crisis as NWC, Wike camp clash

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party intensifies, as the camp of the former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, rejects the South-South Zonal Caretaker Committee announced by the National Working Committee.

The PDP National Vice Chairman for the South-South, Dan Orbih, along with another leader from Wike’s camp who preferred to remain anonymous, rejected the actions taken by the Umar Damagum-led NWC.

Orbih and the source exclusively told The PUNCH that the statement was issued without the NWC’s approval.

The development comes as the party, again, postponed its National Executive Committee meeting.

The NEC was originally fixed for March 13, after several postponements since the last NEC was held in April 2024. It is now rescheduled for May 15.

The Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, on February 21, 2025, issued a restraining order preventing the PDP and the National Vice Chairman for South-South, Orbih, from holding the zonal congress on February 22, 2025.

The claimants in suit number PHC/551/CS/2025 were PDP members from Rivers State, Tonu Ejiogu and Field Nkor.

Despite the court’s ruling, the party went ahead with the congress on February 22.

The chairman of the electoral committee, Vita Abba, announced that Orbih won the election with 174 votes. Other elected officials were Alabah Turnah (Secretary), Evelyn Weke (Treasurer), Ijeoma Obani (Financial Secretary), Timothy Okwoche (Organising Secretary), Iyrneri Briggs (Legal Adviser), Prince Etim Isong (Publicity Secretary), Loveday Abaribote (Auditor), Phenomena Esubok (Woman Leader), and Patrick Asuquo (Youth Leader).

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Wike, who supported and attended the congress in Calabar, Cross River State, described the South-South as the PDP’s strongest base, asserting that no further congress would be held in the region.

Wike maintained that the zonal congress was legally conducted and that Orbih remained the National Vice Chairman.

Regarding the four South-South governors who abstained from the congress, the PDP distanced itself from the Calabar event and stated it would announce a new date for the zonal congresses in due time.

Ignoring Wike’s position, the Damagum-led NWC appointed Emma Ogidi as the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee on March 7 and, on March 9, the party fixed April 12 as the new date for the South-South zonal congress.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, Orbih denied any knowledge of the caretaker committee, alleging that it was created by Ologunagba to deceive the South-South leaders.

He stated “Nobody has communicated that caretaker thing to me. I think there is a chap called Debo Ologunagba who is now entertaining himself, issuing statements and claiming to be issuing them on behalf of the NWC. I can tell you with all certainty that there was no meeting of the NWC where such a conclusion was reached.

“Ologunagba is doing this to avoid embarrassment for the party. He’s beginning to embarrass the entire PDP leadership. That statement about the caretaker committee should not be given any attention. It should be ignored by the good people of the South-South.

“I know some of Ologunagba’s challenges, but my advice to him is not to use personal challenges to continue to embarrass the party.”

He asked party leaders in the zone and those named as caretaker committee members to disregard the statement signed by Ologunagba.

“Those whose names were listed are party members and they come from my zone. They should read the Constitution very clearly and not allow themselves to be used. So, the South-South leaders should disregard the Ologunagba statement, which was not signed.

“They should be guided by the constitution; their allegiance is to the constitution of the party and not Ologunagba’s press release. Those pronouncements are in conflict with the provisions of the constitution, so they should be disregarded,” he added.

Another source claimed that some NWC members were intent on destroying the PDP and pinning the blame on Wike.

Similar to Orbih’s statement, the source revealed that no NWC meeting had been held where such decisions were made.

He stated “What they did in the South-South, the caretaker committee that was set up, was not a decision of the NWC.

“I can tell you that the NWC did not meet on any matter of that nature. They are determined to destroy the PDP for their selfish gains, and later they will blame Wike for it.”

In response, Ologunagba told The PUNCH in an exclusive interview that the party had informed the relevant individuals about its decision regarding the South-South.

“The party has made a decision, and it has been communicated to those concerned. There is nothing more to say beyond what was stated in the statement,” he said.

When asked to elaborate on Orbih’s allegations against him, Ologunagba refused to comment.

Meanwhile, another source from the anti-Wike camp, loyal to the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, revealed that the South-South zonal caretaker committee and the April 12 date were announced following the approval of the four governors from the zone.

The source, which sought to remain anonymous, stated “What I can tell you is that this decision was not made by Ologunagba. The statement reflects the position of the majority of NWC members.

“Why? Because the national leadership did not conduct the Calabar congress. Acting alone, Orbih selected his loyalists to serve on the congress committee, supervised the process, and announced himself and others as winners. That is unacceptable and goes against the PDP’s constitution.

“Also, don’t forget that the Governors of Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers states were absent because they knew it was an illegal gathering.

“So, the NWC, after consulting with the four South-South governors and other stakeholders, announced the caretaker committee to avoid a vacuum, as Orbih’s tenure ended today, Sunday, March 9, along with the new date for the South-South zonal congress.”

In support of the NWC and PDP governors, the Conference of Professionals in the PDP hailed the appointment of the caretaker committee for the South-South zonal leadership as a positive move.

The group, in a statement issued on Sunday by its Protem National Coordinator, Obinna Nwachukwu, stated that the appointment fell within the NWC’s powers as outlined in Section 29(2)(b) and in accordance with Sections 31(2)(c) and (j) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), to prevent any leadership vacuum in the zonal chapter.

“The appointment of the South-South zonal caretaker committee by the party’s National Working Committee is constitutional and a step taken in the right direction to ensure the unity and stability of the party in the zone,” the statement said.

Confirming the rescheduling of the NEC meeting to May 15, a reliable source, who requested to remain anonymous as he was not authorised to speak on the issue, stated that the meeting was postponed because of the ongoing litigation regarding the national secretary of the party.

The source said the leaders agreed to delay the meeting until the matter was resolved by the Supreme Court.

Since Umar Damagum took over as acting national chairman after the court’s removal of Senator Iyorchia Ayu, he has faced growing criticism from party leaders.

The criticism has been fuelled by the ongoing crisis within the PDP, with increasing calls for his resignation amid the unrest.

During the 98th NEC meeting on April 18, 2024, party leaders were unable to resolve several critical issues. As a result, the crisis within the party has since deepened, impacting the state and zonal chapters, and causing significant division within the NWC.

The 98th NEC meeting also set the date for the 99th NEC meeting for August 15, to address unresolved matters. However, this meeting was first postponed to October 24, 2024, then rescheduled for November 28, 2024, and finally postponed indefinitely.

In response, the PDP Governors Forum instructed the NWC in December 2024 to ensure the NEC meeting was held by February 2025 at the latest.

On December 5, 2024, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, raised concerns that the continued delays were undermining the trust and confidence of PDP members.

To ensure the meeting was held promptly, the PDP Governors Forum, during their meeting in Asaba, Delta State, on January 31, proposed March 13 for the NEC meeting.

The source stated “The main reason for the postponement of the NEC is the ongoing litigation regarding the PDP National Secretary. The leaders want the matter resolved before the NEC.

“So, they agreed to postpone the meeting for this reason and also to allow more time to discuss other party issues.”

Speaking on the reason for the postponement, the PDP’s National Secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye, said it was necessary due to the pending zonal, state, local government and ward congresses, as well as to allow for additional consultations to ensure the smooth conduct of the meeting.

The statement read “Distinguished members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) may recall that after due deliberation by party leaders, stakeholders and relevant organs of the party, the NEC meeting was scheduled to be held on Wednesday, March 13, 2025.

“However, following emerging issues, including the need to conclude our pending zonal, state, LG and ward congresses as well as to allow for further consultation to ensure hitch-free conduct of the meeting, especially with regard to other proposed activities of our party, the NWC, after due consultation with leaders, stakeholders and relevant organs of the party including the Board of Trustees (BoT), the PDP Governors’ Forum and the PDP National Assembly Caucus, hereby wishes to notify distinguished members of NEC that the 99th NEC meeting earlier scheduled for Wednesday, March 13, 2025 has been unavoidably shifted to Thursday, May 15, 2025.

“All NEC members should please note the change of date and be guided accordingly.

“The NWC sincerely regrets any inconveniences this change of date will cause distinguished members of NEC.”

In response, the embattled Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, urged party members to ignore the postponement statement signed by Ude-Okoye, stressing that he did not recognise him as the party’s national secretary.

In a statement he signed on Sunday as the PDP National Secretary, Anyanwu stated that the new date for the 99th NEC meeting would be communicated in due course and appropriately.

The statement read in part “My attention has been drawn to a misleading letter on the above subject matter signed by Rt. Hon S. K. E. Udeh Okoye in the designation of PDP National Secretary.

“Our party leaders, NEC members, BOT, Governors Forum and the general public are hereby advised to disregard the purported letter as it emanates from a non-official and authoritative source. The said Udeh Okoye is not the National Secretary of our dear party and was never in any NWC meeting where he was mandated to issue such notice.

“Udeh Okoye should be aware that he is under a restraining order of the court of competent jurisdiction to stop parading himself as the National Secretary of PDP pending the determination of the appeal lying before the apex court of the nation.

“The issuance of an official letter of the PDP in the title of the National Secretary amounts to total disobedience to the rule of law and an act contemptuous of the order of the judiciary.

“It is obvious from the conduct of Udeh Okoye that he is an agent set to destroy the party. He is, therefore, warned to refrain from further acts that tend to undermine the peace and stability of the party and again impugn the integrity of the judiciary.

“Nothing coming from the said Udeh Okoye is recognised by law. He is only putting the party to public ridicule.”

He said the rescheduled date for the NEC meeting would be communicated accordingly and appropriately.