The camps within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) refused to yield ground yesterday despite calls from the party’s governors and its Board of Trustees (BoT) for calm and a return to the status quo.
The camps led by acting national chairman, Amb Illiya Damagum, and the national treasurer, Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, maintained their positions as being in control of the national leadership of the party.
While the Damagum camp dismissed a claim yesterday that it has lost the confidence of PDP governors, Mohammed formally accepted the acting position of national chairman yesterday in a statement.
Recall that the PDP governors’ forum, through its chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and the BoT led by Chief Adolphus Wabara, had called for calm after a suspension battle among members of the NWC.
Following a tussle caused by the raging crisis in the Rivers State chapter of PDP, Damagum last Thursday declared the suspension of the national publicity secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, and the national legal adviser, Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade.
In return, the national publicity secretary declared Damagum and the national secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, suspended. This national leadership crisis heralds the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting fixed for 24 October.
Meanwhile, ahead of a series of meetings to be held this week to seek a resolution of the unfolding saga, it was learnt that the PDP governors might meet today on the matter.
While a hint of the meeting had been made by its chairman last week, calls by yesterday evening and a text message to the director general of the forum, Dr Emmanuel Agbo, were not responded to.
A source who told LEADERSHIP about the meeting said it remains a hazy prospect as the split within the governors’ ranks over Damagum’s continued stay as acting chairman is far from resolved.
While Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde wants Damagum to stay on as acting chairman, Bauchi’s Mohammed has called for Damagum (from North East) to revert to his position as deputy national chairman, allowing for the North Central zone to occupy the substantive national chairman position.
However, following an online report that PDP governors have discarded its camp, acting national publicity secretary of Damagum’s led NWC, Ibrahim Abdullahi, replied, “Lies from the pit of hell.”
He added, “Far from the truth. There were no two governors that spoke online yesterday, talk less of nine. These are the final kicks of a dying horse.”
Meanwhile, Mohammed, while accepting his position as acting national chairman, said the domestic events within the party in the last few days call for deep reflection about the PDP management and its role as an opposition party.
He said, “I am humbled and grateful for the numerous messages of solidarity, support, and best wishes received from members of our Party across the country. The enthusiasm and relief expressed reveal the desire and determination of our members to see a PDP that is strong, democratic, and based on strict adherence to its Constitution.
“Regrettably, we must admit that we have not satisfactorily carried out the critical role expected of a virile opposition in a democracy. This, it has been observed, is as a result of conflicts of interest—personal or political—elevated above Party interest, which continue to have a debilitating effect on the ability of our Party to perform effectively at various levels, particularly at the national level.
“This state of affairs continues to affect the performance and viability of our Party to perform its role as expected as a platform which Nigerians have come to admire and look up to in view of the robust Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) and the monumental achievements of the Party in the sixteen years in government, which period is referred to with nostalgia as the golden years of governance in Nigeria.
“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, desirous of revamping the Party in line with the vision of its founding fathers, on Thursday, 10 October 2024, appointed me as the Acting National Chairman to lead the charge to rekindle the hope and aspiration of our teeming members, especially the youths, critical stakeholders, and the generality of Nigerians who wish to see a political Party that is ready and willing to play the role of effective opposition in the quest to develop our democracy and seek a responsible and responsive government in our country.
“The NWC under my leadership will be guided strictly by the Constitution of our Party, and I will at all times be fair to all members irrespective of their status, position, or state in the Party. Only this will guarantee and engender loyalty and commitment from our teeming members.
“In this regard, my primary goal, focus, and mandate in this onerous assignment is to restore the confidence of our members by immediately setting in motion the process to hold the long-overdue National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of our Party already scheduled for Thursday, 24 October 2024.
“In line with the provisions of our Party’s Constitution, the North Central Zone, which is constitutionally entitled to produce a replacement to serve out the tenure of the former National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, is hereby requested to urgently meet and forward its nominee to my office for necessary preparation and forwarding for consideration and approval by NEC at the 24 October 2024 meeting.
“I hereby seek and solicit the co-operation, support, and advice from my colleagues, NWC members, all Organs of the Party, especially the PDP Governors’ Forum, the Board of Trustees (BoT), National Assembly Caucus, as well as leaders, critical stakeholders, and members towards a successful NEC meeting that we can all be proud of,” he said.
