Onyekachi Eze and Adeyinka Adeniji 
Crisis is brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the suspension of five members of the party by the National Working Committee (NWC). Those suspended are former President of the Senate, Anyim Pius Anyim; former Ekiti and Katsina State governors, Ayodele Fayose and Ibrahim Shehu Shema; Prof Dennis Ityavyar (Benue), and Dr Aslam Aliyu (Zamfara).
In a statement, the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, noted that the apex management committee of the PDP said the decision was taken after a “very extensive review of the affairs of our party in the country and under the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) referred the Governor of Benue State, Dr Samuel Ortom to the National Disciplinary Committee over his reported involvement in anti-party activities.” It urged leaders, stakeholders and members of the party across the country to remain united and focused at this critical time. PDP has been in crisis since after the May 2022 presidential primary where Alhaji Atiku Abubakar emerged as the party’s candidate.
This resulted in five governors of the party, led by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, refusing to campaign for Atiku before the February 25 presidential poll. Wike and Ortom openly adopted and worked for different presidential candidates. PDP lost in the five states during the presidential election, and failed to retain three of the states under its control, Benue, Abia and Sokoto. Anyim, a former presidential aspirant, abandoned the PDP governorship candidate in Ebonyi State for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). PDP lost Ebonyi, Anyim’s home state. The former Ekiti State governor who was also a presidential aspirant, equally worked against PDP presidential candidate. Fayose had earlier announced his resignation from the party, but denied doing so, and said he just stepped aside. PDP had before the elections, suspended former Enugu State governor Senator Chimaroke Nnamani and Fayose’s son, among others, for anti-party activities. Urging members and other stakeholders to remain united and focused, the PDP’s statement said the suspensions took effect from March 23.
