•PDP acting national chairman, Iliya Damagum
Tensions have erupted within the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following accusations that the party’s Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, has unilaterally reinstated Chief Dan Orbih into the leadership fold, despite his suspension in July 2024 over alleged anti-party activities.
Multiple sources within the NWC have expressed outrage over Damagum’s decision, which they claimed was done without consultation and in defiance of an earlier party resolution, reports Nigerian Tribune.
Orbih, the National Vice Chairman (South-South), was suspended on July 11, 2024, following accusations that he worked against the PDP’s interests in the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election.
At the time, the NWC had cited Orbih’s alleged alliance with former Rivers State Governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, accusing him of undermining the party’s candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.
The PDP went on to lose the election, deepening internal divisions.
In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party announced Orbih’s suspension and the establishment of a six-member committee led by Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, to investigate the matter.
As part of his suspension, Orbih was barred from attending NWC meetings, stripped of his leadership privileges, and removed from the party’s official WhatsApp communication platform.
However, NWC members were shocked to discover that Orbih had recently been reinstated into the party’s leadership structure, without any official announcement or resolution from the committee set up to investigate him.
Sources revealed that Damagum, who administers the NWC WhatsApp platform, secretly added Orbih back to the group, signaling his quiet return to the PDP’s national leadership.
This move has reportedly infuriated several NWC members, who argued that Orbih was never formally cleared of the allegations against him and should not have been reinstated without a proper review of the findings from the investigative panel.
An NWC member who spoke on condition of anonymity stated: “We are deeply disappointed in the way Ambassador Damagum has handled this issue. The decision to reinstate Chief Orbih was unilateral and lacked transparency. It has created unnecessary tension within the leadership.”
Damagum could not be reached yesterday as his phone was switched off.
Orbih’s return to the leadership fold has not only angered NWC members but has also exacerbated the crisis in the PDP’s South-South zone.
Despite the NWC’s official postponement of the South-South Zonal Congress for further consultations, Orbih went ahead to organise a parallel congress in Calabar, Cross River State, over the weekend.
On February 21, 2025, his faction, led by Acting Zonal Secretary George Turner, issued an invitation for the congress at Metropolitan Hotel, Calabar, citing Article 28(3) of the PDP Constitution as justification.
However, the PDP’s national leadership has disowned the gathering, labeling it a “social event” with no official recognition or legitimacy.
In a strongly worded press statement on Saturday, Ologunagba reiterated that the NWC had not conducted the South-South Zonal Congress and urged party members, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and the media to disregard the outcome of the Calabar gathering.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP states in clear terms that it has not conducted its South-South Zonal Congress, neither is it in any way involved in the said gathering in Calabar,” Ologunagba declared.
The party cited specific sections of its 2017 amended constitution to justify the postponement, particularly: Section 29(2)(b): which empowers the NWC to act on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in emergencies; Section 31(2)(c) and (j): which grants the NEC supervisory authority over all party organs, elections, and candidate selection processes.
With this legal backing, the PDP dismissed the Calabar Congress as illegitimate, accusing Orbih’s faction of attempting to undermine the party’s leadership.
The South-South PDP has been embroiled in leadership conflicts for months, fueled by defiance of party directives, factional rivalries, and struggles for control.
The Cross River State chapter of the PDP has also distanced itself from the Calabar Congress, insisting that all official zonal activities must be held at the party’s recognised headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The escalating PDP crisis in the South-South is part of a larger battle for influence within the party ahead of the 2027 general election.
The PDP leadership had hoped that postponing the South-South Congress would allow time to de-escalate tensions and foster unity. However, Orbih’s defiance has now deepened divisions, raising concerns about the party’s electoral prospects in the region.
For now, the next steps from both the Orbih faction and the NWC will determine the future trajectory of the PDP in the South-South.
The party has assured members that a new date for the official zonal congress will be announced through its official channels and has called for unity in the face of the ongoing crisis.
