PDP BoT Rejects Damagum’s Attempt To Cancel NEC Meeting, Insists June 30 Date Stands
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kicked against the purported cancellation of the party’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, describing the action as unconstitutional, null and void.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the BoT, led by its Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, condemned what it termed an “affront” to the constitution of the party, warning against acts capable of dragging the PDP into crisis.
Damagum had allegedly issued a directive cancelling the NEC meeting scheduled for Monday, 30th June 2025, and further directed Senator Samuel Anyanwu to resume as National Secretary of the party. A decision the BoT says violates the 2017 amended Constitution of the PDP.
According to the BoT, the NEC remains the highest decision-making organ of the party, next only to the National Convention, and no individual or group has the authority to override a resolution of the NEC.
It stated that the decision taken at the 99th NEC meeting on 27th May 2025 to convene the 100th session on 30th June stands binding on all members and organs of the party.
“It is therefore not within the remit or authority of the Acting National Chairman to override a collective decision of NEC. Such conduct amounts to an affront to the constitutional authority of NEC and the collective will of our party,” the statement read.
The BoT also dismissed the move to reinstate Senator Anyanwu as National Secretary as “spurious and offensive” to the spirit and letter of the party’s constitution, the Supreme Court’s ruling, and NEC resolutions.
It affirmed that the appointment of the Deputy National Secretary, Arc. Setonji Koshoedo, to act in that capacity remains valid and has not been overturned by any competent organ of the party.
“The decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) at its 600th meeting directing the Deputy National Secretary to act as National Secretary remains in force,” it noted.
The BoT warned against what it described as “unilateralism, impunity, and disregard for constitutional procedures,” stressing that it would not fold its arms while the integrity and unity of the PDP are jeopardised by personal interests.
It further called on all NEC members to disregard any contradictory notices and to prepare for the NEC meeting as earlier scheduled. Party members were also urged to uphold the supremacy of the PDP constitution and resist any attempts to destabilise the party.
“No individual interest is greater than the institutional integrity of the PDP,.
“The BoT, as the moral compass of the party, will continue to defend due process, uphold party supremacy and protect the democratic ethos upon which the PDP is founded,” the statement concluded.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
