Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will convene in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday (today) to elect the party’s National Secretary and National Executive Committee members.
According to an insider who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the governors will also debate Rivers State’s emergency rule and significant concerns affecting both the country and the party.
The governors are convening three weeks after the Supreme Court reinstated Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary, replacing their preferred candidate, Sunday Ude-Okoye.
On March 21, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, issued on December 20, 2024, which upheld Anyanwu’s ouster as the party’s National Secretary.
The decision threw the PDP leadership and members into chaos, as both sides in the case — Anyanwu and Udeh-Okoye — claimed victory. They released separate statements declaring victory soon following the verdict.
The party’s NEC meeting has also been postponed more than three times, resulting in tensions among PDP governors, the National Working Committee, and the Board of Trustees.
The PDP has been dealing with internal problems both before and after the 2023 elections, resulting in increased instability and division within the party.
However, as part of ongoing efforts to reposition the party, PDP governors are scheduled to meet in Ibadan today.
Debo Ologunagba, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, stated that the PDP Governors Forum will gather in Ibadan from Sunday to Monday.
Ologunagba stated in a statement that “the PDP Governor’s Forum meeting is scheduled to be held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday, April 13, and Monday, April 14, 2025.”
However, a senior party member informed Sunday PUNCH that the governors were scheduled to weigh in on the Supreme Court verdict on the National Secretary as well as discuss the next NEC meeting.
He stated that the governors will also address the party’s crisis in the South-South.
“The meeting is very crucial. The governors are expected to be frank with each other, discuss issues, and take proactive steps to preserve the PDP.
“Part of their agenda includes the Supreme Court judgement on the National Secretary, the upcoming National Executive Committee meeting, the South-South zonal leadership crisis, the state of emergency in Rivers State, the leadership crisis within the NWC, and other party matters that will be thoroughly discussed.
“They must decide on critical issues in that meeting to save the party, as many members are tired of the prolonged crises. Their resolutions and the actions that follow will play a significant role in preventing defections and determining the future of the PDP,” he said.
In a related development, former Senate Presidents David Mark and Bukola Saraki, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, an ally of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, have banded together with others to save the PDP from collapse due to its ongoing internal crisis.
A very credible source revealed that the PDP leaders convened in Abuja during the week and agreed on steps to reposition the party.
According to a person familiar with the discussion, they also discussed measures to discourage members, notably governors, from leaving the party.
According to the source, other party heavyweights who attended the meeting were PDP BoT Secretary Ahmed Makarfi, former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, former Minister of Police Affairs Adamu Waziri, and former Minister of Defence Lawal Batagarawa.
According to the source, Mohammed, the PDP chairman, and Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, represented the governors at the strategic meeting.
He claimed that they agreed on the significance of engaging with other party members to gain their support, reaching out to all unhappy factions, and reorganising the party’s leadership ahead of the forthcoming national convention.
According to the source, Mark, Saraki, Lamido, and other PDP officials met and agreed on a plan to reposition the party in order to prevent it from collapsing. They all agreed to rebuild the PDP. And the leaders briefed the governors on how they intend to attain that goal. They also want the governments to work towards the same goals. They decided that there was no reason to forsake the party and work on a coalition.
“Instead of putting in efforts to start a coalition, it was resolved that they should use the same resources, time and strategy to rebuild PDP. They noted that all the parties, with no exception, have their challenges and internal crises. Thus, PDP leaders should work to reconcile the differences and rebuild their structure instead of seeking any new platform.
“To preserve the party, they will meet with various stakeholders to persuade them to remain committed to the PDP, resolve all issues, avoid defection, and begin preparations to elect new NWC members to lead the party through the upcoming national convention later in the year.”
Members of the PDP National Executive Committee, including the Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, and the immediate past Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi, expressed their satisfaction with the developments.
They emphasised the significance of more PDP leaders stepping forward to help reposition the party for the 2027 elections.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday PUNCH, Osadolor expressed confidence that, given the calibre of governors and other PDP leaders, the existing situation would be resolved shortly.
He stated, “This is a welcome development. The party has prominent figures like Bukola Saraki, David Mark, Lamido, the governors and many more. It is clear that the party does not lack elders, so as a PDP member, I feel fortunate to hear that respected figures within the party and the governors are willing to address the numerous issues affecting the party’s fortunes.
“I am convinced that with these leaders and the collective efforts of others, the party will make significant progress. The party is already on the right track, and many of the issues will be resolved.
“We have seen the coordination in terms of discipline. While no party has reached a perfect state just yet, compared to where we were, we have made significant progress. We are not out of the woods completely, but we are much further along than before. Any further efforts to help us progress are welcomed.”
In his comment, Odeyemi said that the governors and other leaders’ efforts to rescue the PDP were long overdue.
“We can only continue to wish the party the best and hope that all the leaders recognise that peace and unity are the keys to success in 2027 against the APC,” he stated.
Odeyemi added, “In politics, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. If the collective and permanent interest is for the party to win the presidential election, governorship elections, and the majority of Senate and House seats, then the best course of action is unity. If they have just realised this, it’s a good sign.
“Nothing is impossible. Some may want to leave the party because of the current crisis. But if peace and tranquillity are guaranteed, everyone will return to the PDP, because the party they might join has even more problems, though they may not be as openly acknowledged as those in the PDP. No political party is entirely at peace. So, what you’re trying to escape from in the PDP, you’ll find even more of in other parties.”
