A group known as PDP Frontiers for Change and Progress (PFCP), has knocked the Acting National Chairman of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Amb. Umar Damagum, accusing him of sponsoring media propaganda and blackmail against the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara “for speaking the bitter truth”.

The group was responding to a publication on the Facebook page of Northern PDP Social Media which accused Wabara of working against the interest of PDP and antagonizing the Damagum -led National Working Committee (NWC), of the party.

The author of the publication who is anonymous, criticised Wabara over his remarks at the December 5 emergency meeting held at the PDP national secretariat Abuja.

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The PDP BoT Chairman had in his opening remarks at the meeting, expressed disappointment over the repeated postponement of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting by the Damagum -led NWC.

Recall that the NWC had recently announced a third consecutive postponement of the NEC meeting, the latest being one originally scheduled for November 28, 2024.

But Wabara, who was displeased with the approach, said “the repeated delays erode party members’ trust and confidence.”

He said: “It is with a deep sense of disappointment that I must express the BoT’s dismay at the continued shifting by the National Working Committee (NWC) in convening a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

“This delay not only undermines the trust and confidence of our members but also weakens the unity and democratic processes that are the foundation of our party.”

Not satisfied with Wabara for criticising Damagum, the author of the publication, accused the BoT Chairman of insensitivity over the reason for the latest postponement which he said, was to enable PDP stakeholders attend the burial of the late First Lady of Akwa Ibom State.

The publication which also accused Wabara of working for the Labour Party, told the former Senate President to stop working at cross purpose with the Damagum -led NWC.

But the Convener of PFCP, Emeka-Yellow Ikpegbu, said Wabara only spoke the bitter truth and the mind of many party faithful.

He said “the sponsored media attacks against the BoT Chairman are unwarranted, ridiculous and a display of political immaturity by those behind the cheap blackmail”.

Ikpegbu argued that Wabara spoke up as the Chairman of BoT which is the conscience of the party, providing direction to the NWC so that the party would not be misled or derailed from its democratic principles.

According to him, “the sponsored media onslaught is meant to blackmail the BoT Chairman into submission, weaken PDP and ultimately hand over the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC”.

He claimed that the actions and activities of the Damagum-led NWC “lend credence to growing suspicions that the Acting National Chairman is in bed with the ruling APC for selfish interests”.

” The signals are very obvious and ominous. Damagum cannot deny that he is the one working for other interests. PDP may not survive till 2027 with the way Damagum -led NWC is running the affairs of the party.

” How can he be toying with the future of a main opposition party that has been in power for years? How can he keep postponing the NEC meeting three times and assume everybody will keep quiet? Is PDP under his watch truly playing the opposition?

” We are not surprised at this infantile antics of sponsoring fallacious media propaganda to blackmail the BoT Chairman who has remained courageous in speaking against the errors of the NWC. This lame script is dead on arrival.
Speaking the bitter truth does not in any way amount to working for Labour Party.

” Damagum should not assume that his romance with APC to succeed Gov. Mai Buni of Yobe State is hidden. Much as he has the liberty to aspire for any political office of his choice, he should not sacrifice the interest of PDP on the altar of his selfish interest. We will resist such attempt.”

He further argued that contrary to claims by Damagum that the PDP NEC meeting was postponed because of the burial of the Akwa Ibom First Lady, the Chairman could have actually brought the meeting forward to an earlier date if truly he were sincere.

Ikpegbu claimed that the continued postponement of NEC was a ploy by Damagum to perpetuate himself in office till 2027.

“The BoT Chairman is not insensitive to the unfortunate demise of Governor Eno’s wife because he knows how it feels to lose a better half. The burial of the Governors’s wife was on 29th November while the NEC meeting was long slated for the 28th of November. The Governor presumably avoided 28th clearly because of the NEC meeting. Surely the meeting could have held and NWC presence effectively felt at the burial the next day, afterall NWC flies around in private jets. Worse case scenario Damagum should have postponed the NEC meeting to early December, if he was sincere.”

Ikpegbu lamented that “PDP under the watch of Damagum is losing focus , losing members and getting weakened”.

He also attributed the crisis rocking some state chapters of the party to lack of direction and disregard for due process and internal democracy on the part of Damagum -led NWC.

” The way and manner the NWC handled the crisis in Rivers State and some other states only confirmed the view held by many that the NWC is either inept or serving a different interest. Why is the NWC always at variance with the PDP Governors and BoT?

” Whose interest is Damagum actually serving? Has he, like Ali Modu Sheriff once attempted to, come to bury PDP? But we assure him that PDP members from across the country cannot watch their party which is the only beacon of hope for the country to be hijacked by political merchants!”

Ikpegbu who is a former Commissioner in the Abia State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, ASOPADEC, commended Senator Wabara, PDP BoT, PDP Governors forum and some elders of the party committed to the party’s revival and rebound as a ruling party at the centre.