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.
