PDP’s Internal Forces Of Discord 

All is not well in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The leading opposition party is burdened by internal disputes arising from leadership and administrative conflicts. At the core of the disputes, however, are long-standing grudges emanating from the 2023 presidential primaries which intensely factionalised the once ‘biggest party in Africa’ and turned it into a political group where ‘the centre can no longer hold’. At present, there are lingering disputes over the positions of National Chairman and National Secretary – two very important positions in the party. At any rate, the PDP’s latest headache is the current outcome of the summons by the Disciplinary Committee recently activated to investigate petitions against high-ranking party members, including former governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, and former National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu. 

Ortom’s reaction to the purported petition against him was a letter oozing with vitriol written and sent to the Tom Ikimi-led Disciplinary Committee by his lawyer, Barrister Clement Mue. In the letter, Ortom threatened a court case against the committee members if they failed to apologise over their statement against him and retract same. 

Ortom cited several violations of the party’s constitution in the process taken by the committee. 

Ortom’s lawyer said his client was not informed in writing about any allegations prior to the public announcement which the committee made, claiming it was a clear breach of Section 57(4) of the PDP Constitution. 

The letter, dated February 10, 2025, warned that the failure of the Committee to comply with Ortom’s demands could result in legal action, including a defamation suit and a petition to law enforcement authorities for violations of the Cybercrimes Act. 

Furthermore, in the letter which outlined other significant violations of both the PDP Constitution and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, Ortom’s lawyer argued that the Committee lacked the jurisdiction to take disciplinary action against Ortom, citing Section 57(7) of the PDP Constitution. 

He said: “This section specifies that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) can address disciplinary matters involving members of the NEC, Deputy Governors, and National Assembly members.” 

The lawyer also referred to Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, which prohibits the dissemination of false or misleading information that damages an individual’s reputation. 

He emphasized that the premature release of allegations against his client had led to public ridicule and significant harm, saying the press statement which announced the inquiry into the alleged petitions against Ortom raised concerns over “procedural fairness and potential reputational harm.” 

The Benue State Chapter of the PDP also wrote a letter to the disciplinary committee, stating that the petitioner(s) against Ortom were not known to the party members in the state. 

Benue State PDP Chairman, Hon. Ezekiel Adaji, who signed the letter, said: “Since the petition has been copied to the ‘Benue State PDP Caretaker Committee,’ which is now the State Working Committee of the party under my leadership, although no copy of the petition has been served on me or the Benue State Working Committee, I perused the said petition and do hereby observe as follows: there is no group of the PDP in Benue State known as ‘Benue PDP Youths Conscience’; that the people who have signed the petition have not identified themselves as members of the PDP and are unknown to the PDP Benue State Chapter; that the petition has not specified the acts consisting of the alleged anti-party activities, and so on.” 

He requested, among other things, that the petitioners provide evidence of their party membership, if any, to enable the Disciplinary Committee to ascertain the propriety of their petition. 

Meanwhile, the Committee, on Wednesday, shelved the appearance of Samuel Ortom and Samuel Anyanwu before the committee to March 4, 2025. 

Ikimi, Chairman of the committee, disclosed this while addressing Journalists after the meeting, at the party’s Legacy House office in Abuja. 

Ikimi said: “Last Wednesday we went through the various petitions before us, and two petitions were slated for hearing today; one petition was against the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the other against some members of the party from Benue State, including former governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom, and ten others. 

“We were prepared to hear the petition today; the petitions were served on them directly and through a courier, and we have evidence that the petitions arrived at their destinations; however, we could not proceed today due to correspondences received from these two persons we were supposed to meet. 

“Former Secretary, Senator Anyanwu sent us a letter indicating that he was not well and that he had medical challenges and a medical appointment for today; he backed that up with a letter from his hospital and his doctor, so he therefore asked for another date. 

“In the case of Samuel Ortom and others, they claimed that they had not received the petitions that were sent to them, but the petitions were sent, and we have evidence that they were sent to them. 

“However, the committee has met, and because we believe that we should give everyone a fair hearing and that we should not ignore issues like health challenges, we have decided to defer the hearing by another two to three weeks so that they will assure that they received the petitions sent to them. 

“So, we have deferred the hearing to 4th of March; we believe that all will be well, and the committee is going to be fair to everyone.” 

In a rather dramatic note, the Abia State Chapter of the party had, on Tuesday, suspended the chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, over what it termed anti-party activities. 

He said Wabara was suspended for endorsing Governor Alex Otti for a second tenure barely five months into the governor’s administration in October 2023. 

Amah said the party could not afford to be distracted by those who wear its badge but do not uphold the party’s values and as well, those who are quick to compromise, sabotage and betray the principles it stands for. 

Amah cited a memo from the party’s State Treasurer, Chizurum Kalu, wherein he called for the suspension of the party’s BOT Chairman over unfounded statements. 

He requested the State Executive Committee to invoke the relevant sections of the party’s constitution, particularly Section 57,58 and 59 on the erring BOT chairman, emphasising the need to ensure discipline among party members across the board, irrespective of status. 

He said: “True leadership and progress require a dedicated and loyal team and not a crowd. The PDP needs individuals who understand the sacrifices necessary to reposition the party for electoral success and for the transformation of Abia State. 

“According to the memo tendered by the state treasurer, the BOT chairman was accused of endorsing Governor Alex Otti for a second tenure, an action the memo outlined was inimical to the party. 

“In moving a motion that was seconded by the State Organising Secretary, Obinna Okey, the State Treasurer requested that the BOT chairman be debarred from holding any party office and as well, suspended as the BOT chairman.” 

The Abia PDP chairman called for the rebuilding of a strong and viable team that would not just occupy space but actively contribute to the advancement of the party and the development of the state. 

“If you are in this party, be ready to stand for it, work for it and defend it. We do not need passengers, we need partners in progress.” 

Although the suspension order has since been overturned by the National Working Committee of the party, there are fears that the several disputes in the party has created severe lack of coherence and weakened the party so much that it is at present incapable of playing its role as leading opposition and, certainly, not prepared for the political activities expected to kick-off the 2027 electioneering