Abuja- In a bid to resolve lingering confusion over the identity of its National Secretary, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday met with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. The meeting, which was led by the PDP Governors’ Forum and the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), sought regulatory clarifications from the electoral umpire.
Governors Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) were among the key figures at the closed-door session. They were joined by party stalwarts including former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Kaduna Governor Ahmed Makarfi, Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, and others.
Addressing INEC before the meeting went into a closed session, PDP’s Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, said the party came to engage the Commission over internal party matters, especially regarding the disputed position of National Secretary.
“We are here today… to discuss and interact with you sincerely, because we had NEC and there was a decision of NEC which mandated me to sign a letter to avoid controversy,” Damagum said.
The two individuals laying claim to the position — Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu and Mr. Sunday Udeh-Okoye — were noticeably absent from the meeting.
PDP had earlier notified INEC of its 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for June 30. However, INEC, in a reply dated June 13, declined to acknowledge the letter, stating it did not meet the regulatory requirement mandating that both the party’s chairman and national secretary jointly sign such notifications.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, reiterated this stance, stating: “There are issues to discuss and we look forward to this important clarification from the party as to who is the secretary.”
Yakubu expressed concern over the “several confusing correspondences” received from PDP with conflicting signatories claiming the position of National Secretary.
“In the last couple of months, we received letters from the party saying Mr. Sunday Udeh-Okoye was the secretary. Thereafter, the party changed its mind to say it was Samuel Anyanwu. Then Mr. Setonji Koshoedo. And again, back to Anyanwu,” Yakubu noted.
Following the meeting, Damagum described the discussions as “very fruitful,” revealing that the party would consult with its broader stakeholders and return to INEC with a resolution before June 30.
The visit underscores growing pressure within the PDP to put its house in order as the Commission demands clarity on leadership roles before key party decisions can be officially recognized.
