More PDP Govs, BoT, NASS Caucus Endorse Damagum’s Exit

More governors from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), members of the Board of Trustees, the party’s National Assembly caucus, and other stakeholders have reportedly endorsed the suspension of the embattled Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

In the past few weeks, the PDP has been enmeshed in a crisis threatening the foun­dation of the party.

The leadership crisis, however, took a different turn when the National Working Committee (NWC) vested with constitution­al power to lead the party turned against itself.

While a faction of the NWC led by the Acting Na­tional Chairman, Umar Damagum, suspended the National Publicity Secre­tary, Debo Ologunagba and the National Legal Ad­viser, Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade, another faction sus­pended Damagum and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.

Some political pundits have, however, linked the battle in the party to a pow­er tussle between the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and the presi­dential candidate of the par­ty in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Irked by the development in the party, the PDP gov­ernors on Monday held an emergency meeting to ad­dress the crisis threatening the largest opposition party in the country. They will con­tinue their meeting.

Before the emergency meeting on Monday, it was gathered that majority of the PDP governors, members of the party’s BoT, party stake­holders and the National As­sembly caucus had thrown their weight behind the coming on board of Ahmed Yayari Mohammed as the Acting National Chairman to replace Damagum, pend­ing when North-Central zone will nominate a re­placement for Sen. Iyorchia Ayu to serve out the tenure of the zone.

It was also gathered that Damagum, who has been running from pillar to post begging several interests, has been given some condi­tions by the governors.

It was learnt that he was told to revise his decision suspending some NWC mem­bers and to hold the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on October 24.

The governors, who start­ed their zoom meeting at 5p.m on Monday to address issues in the party, were not able to conclude it.

It was gathered that the meeting would continue to­day.

However, even though Da­magum had gone to court to stop his removal, it was not­ed that the Ologunagba-led faction of the NWC had already removed him and pronounced Mohammed as Acting Chairman before he got the court injunction.

Stakeholders said to this end, the court injunction hold no water, noting that Da­magum remains suspended.