The National Caucus meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ended on Monday without any breakthrough, as internal divisions continue to stall the long-postponed 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
The meeting, which lasted nearly three hours in Abuja, failed to reach a resolution. PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, announced that discussions would continue at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
The caucus was intended to lay the groundwork for the NEC meeting originally scheduled for May 27, but key figures such as former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar and Namadi Sambo, ex-Senate President David Mark, and former House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal were notably absent.
The party has been mired in crises since before the 2023 general elections, with unresolved disputes over the Rivers State crisis, the South-South and North-Central zonal congresses, and the contentious position of National Secretary.
Party sources say that a peace panel led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki is working to bridge divisions, but the deadlock has persisted.
Tensions are particularly high between factions loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and those aligned with governors such as Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), and Peter Mbah (Enugu), whose decisions within the party have reportedly sidelined Wike’s allies.
Despite repeated attempts by party organs—including the NWC, BoT, and Governors’ Forum—to mediate, divisions have only worsened, leading to multiple postponements of the NEC meeting since it was first scheduled for August 2024.
In a symbolic move signaling deepening tension, Wike recently withdrew from all peace agreements, citing the exclusion of his allies and unresolved grievances.
Adding to the drama, the FCTA task force on Monday sealed off the PDP’s national secretariat in Abuja over unpaid ground rent, forcing the relocation of the BoT meeting from Wadata Plaza to Legacy House in Maitama. That meeting, however, was also cancelled without explanation.
Damagum confirmed that a small committee had been formed to deliver a report today that will determine whether the NEC meeting can go ahead as planned. “We just adjourned our meeting till tomorrow. A small committee has been set up to present a report. After that, we’ll decide the next step,” he told journalists.
A party insider revealed that the Saraki-led committee was expected to hold crucial talks overnight and present recommendations this morning, which could either revive peace talks or lead to a fresh postponement of the NEC meeting.
Meanwhile, the party is facing serious defections that threaten its future. Former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, current Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and the entire PDP structure in Delta State recently defected to the APC, delivering another blow to the embattled opposition party.
The acting chairman, Damagum, has come under fire for failing to unify the party. State chapters remain in disarray, zonal structures have weakened—especially in the South-South—and the National Working Committee is split.
The Board of Trustees is also fractured, with many of its members’ terms expired and no replacements appointed. The leadership vacuum has only compounded the party’s inability to act decisively as the 2027 general election approaches.
As it stands, today’s meeting will be pivotal in determining whether the PDP can chart a path forward—or sink deeper into political uncertainty.