Heavy security was deployed on Monday at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja as the party’s National Vice Chairman (North Central), Abdulrahman Mohammed, claimed that he has assumed office as Acting National Chairman of the party amid deepening leadership crisis.
Mohammed’s resumption followed his declaration as acting chairman by the Samuel Anyanwu-led National Working Committee (NWC), which had earlier suspended the party’s National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, as a counter move to their earlier suspension by the Damagum-led NWC.
Before arriving at the PDP’s Wadata Plaza secretariat, Mohammed and his supporters gathered at the party’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) office, where he confirmed his new position and addressed party members.
“Today, we are taking responsibility to restore order and unity in our great party,” he said. “The PDP belongs to its members, and no one individual can hold it hostage.”
Later, while addressing journalists at the party’s mini office in Wuse, Abuja, Mohammed, who read from a statement titled “A New Dawn”, lamented the state of the PDP and pledged to heal divisions within its ranks.
“We are all aware of the current pitiable state of our glorious party because of the actions and inactions of our leaders and members,” he said.
“From being the ruling party for 16 uninterrupted years to being an opposition party for over 10 years now; from being a formidable opposition to a now humbled one owing to unexplainable defections of governors, legislators, and council chairmen.”
Mohammed said he accepted the role through “the mercy of God and the instrumentality of very critical stakeholders” of the PDP, stressing that his mission is to rebuild the party’s structures and restore internal democracy.
“My job here as Acting National Chairman is to heal the party of its wounds and end factionalisation,” he declared.
He pledged to reposition the PDP, organize an all-inclusive national convention, and oversee the completion of outstanding congresses across zonal, state, local government, and ward levels.
“I will hand over our beloved party back to her true owners, the Nigerian people,” he said. “I want to assure all PDP faithful, critical stakeholders, and Nigerians at large that a new dawn has come and with it the renaissance of the PDP.”
Calling for unity, the new acting chairman urged members and stakeholders to join hands with him to rebuild the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“I cannot do this seemingly difficult job alone,” he admitted. “I will need all your support, prayers, and genuine commitment to lift our party upwards. Consultations are already ongoing, and in due course, we will have our National Executive Committee meeting.”
At of the time all these were happening, the PDP national chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagum, and his loyalists were nowhere to be seen.
