Wike versus PDP NEC: When Personal Interests Collide with Party Constitution

On Monday in Abuja, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike met with journalists and, true to form, didn’t hold back. He offered his take on a range of national and party matters—including some strong opinions about the recently concluded National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike, never one to mince words, declared the NEC meeting "illegal," arguing that the notice convening it was not signed by his ally and preferred National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu. For Wike, Anyanwu’s signature is apparently the golden seal of legitimacy—and he went further to say that any PDP National Convention not signed by Anyanwu should be considered null and void.

But what does the PDP Constitution actually say?

What the Party Constitution Provides

Let’s start with the basics. Article 35(1)(a) of the PDP Constitution clearly states that it is the duty of the National Chairman to summon and preside over meetings of the National Convention, the NEC, the National Caucus, and the National Working Committee (NWC). In fact, Article 31(4) reinforces this: the NEC must meet at least once every quarter at the instance of the National Chairman, or upon the request of two-thirds of NEC members—provided they give the Chairman at least seven days’ notice.

Wike’s claim that a meeting becomes invalid simply because it lacks the signature of a particular National Secretary is not supported by the party’s constitution. There is no clause that grants the National Secretary the power to veto or validate NEC meetings. His role is administrative, not foundational to the legality of NEC gatherings.

Now, about quorum: Article 31(5) of the same Constitution provides that for a NEC meeting to be valid, two-thirds of its members—drawn from at least two-thirds of the geopolitical zones—must be present. If this threshold is met and the meeting is properly convened by the National Chairman (or in accordance with Article 31(4)), then the NEC’s actions are legally sound and binding.

Wike Is Not Bigger Than the Party

Wike’s posture—that the party must dance to his preferred tune or risk being labeled illegitimate—is as undemocratic as it is dangerous. Political parties, including the PDP, are guided by constitutions. And as the Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed, political parties have the right to regulate their internal affairs in accordance with their constitutions. No single individual, no matter how influential, is above that process.

To suggest that the collective will of the NEC—a statutory organ comprising elected representatives from across the country—must bow to one man’s preference for who signs a meeting notice is to subvert the very principles of internal democracy that hold parties together.

At the end of the day, this is not just about Samuel Anyanwu or a disputed signature. It’s about whether the PDP is governed by rules—or by personal fiat.

The NEC followed the rules. The quorum was met. The meeting was convened by the proper authority. Case closed.