With Barely one week before the long-awaited People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 28, strong indications suggest that Acting National Chairman Amb. Umar Damagum may remain in office until the next national convention, the date of which is yet to be determined by stakeholders.
This comes as party chairmen from the 36 states of the federation have dismissed the ongoing crisis within the party as “mere speculations,” existing only in the imagination of its detractors.
In an interview with newsmen shortly after a closed-door meeting with the Damagum-led PDP National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja on Wednesday, Hon. Austine Nwachukwu, the forum chair of PDP State Chairmen, emphasized that the meeting was simply to familiarize themselves with the NWC. He noted, “Recall that a few months ago, many state congresses were held, from wards to local government to the state. The NWC deemed it fit to gather all of us in Abuja to enable us to know each other.”
Nwachukwu added, “It is essentially to familiarize ourselves with the NWC, especially those whose tenures are still running and will be concluding next year. We also discussed zonal congresses; the forms are out, and those interested in contesting can go through their zonal offices to purchase them. We emphasized unity among party members.”
When asked if the upcoming NEC meeting was discussed, he replied, “Nothing like that was discussed.” He was also questioned about concerns regarding the party’s dwindling fortunes. He stated, “You know the elections that the ruling party conducts now. We want to clear the erroneous impression that the fortunes of the party are diminishing each day; they are not. We are looking stronger heading into the new dispensation.”
Regarding the internal crisis within the PDP, Nwachukwu described it as “cosmetic,” asserting that the members are intact and present at the meeting. “So, I don’t see where the crisis you are talking about is coming from. Is social media hype where the problems in the party are being discussed?” he asked. “We are here today, and we didn’t see anybody coming to accuse the NWC of anything or that this is the issue we should look at.”
He explained that the tenure of the Damagum-led NWC “expires next year” and questioned the fuss surrounding the situation.
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A high-ranking member of the party’s NEC, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, stated, “As we speak, there is a subsisting court judgment restraining the Board of Trustees and the NEC from removing him from office. To the best of my knowledge, this judgment has neither been appealed nor vacated. As long as this position remains, there will be no vacancy to be filled, so the noise about a plot to remove Damagum and install a chairman from the North Central exists only in the imaginations of those peddling such rumors.”
He added, “To make matters worse, there has been deafening silence from the official line of communication to our party leadership regarding the North Central’s agitation for a substantive National Chairman to replace Ayu. Individuals can air their opinions, but until the leadership of the caucus communicates with us, nothing happens.”
North Central Zone Remains Divided Over Ayu’s Replacement
Despite agitations from some members, the North Central Zone of the party has yet to agree on a consensus candidate for the position of National Chairman. This is despite the interest shown by some stakeholders who insist the zone ought to produce a replacement to complete the tenure of former National Chairman Dr. Iyorchia Ayu following his resignation.
Vanguard gathered in Abuja yesterday that while some zonal leaders favor this course of action, others believe it would be better to have a chairman who will serve for four years rather than one who would serve for less than 12 months.
Kola Ologbondiyan, a former National Publicity Secretary of the party from the zone, is among those insisting that Damagum should revert to his position as Deputy National Chairman (North) to allow the North Central to produce a candidate for the substantive national chairman. He stated, “What is at stake is the sanctity of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended). We cannot have the same individual holding office as acting national chairman and deputy national chairman (North) simultaneously. It is an aberration.”
He added, “Besides, Section 47 (6) clearly stipulates that when a chairman—in this case, ex-national chairman Dr. Iyorchia Ayu—leaves office either through removal or resignation, a person from his zone is elected as his replacement. Ayu’s tenure was cut short; it did not run its full course.”
All eyes appear to be on Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who, by virtue of his position as the only PDP governor in the zone, is expected to convene a meeting of stakeholders to present a united front during the party’s NEC meeting scheduled for November 28.
Speculation suggests that Mutfwang, along with a sizable number of party leaders, is collaborating with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to keep Damagum in office. Reports indicate that Wike continues to cover a significant portion of the party’s expenses.
A member of the party’s NEC, who also confided in Vanguard, remarked, “The truth remains that none of these people making noise has done or is doing what Wike is doing for the party. Since he took the bold decision to remain in the PDP and help build it when some of our leaders left to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015, he has not wavered.”
Wike himself stated in a recent media interview that those seeking to undermine his contributions should reconsider their stance. He said, “Let me tell you the problem—it is not that the PDP cannot get its acts together; it is this personal ambition. This attitude that ‘I must bring Wike down.’ When all you attempt is to bring me down, you make mistakes. Wike will not go down, which is true.”
On the issue of party funding, he criticized the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, for failing to provide leadership. Wike said, “How has he (Mohammed) mobilized his colleagues to fund the party and ensure it is effective and efficient through the national working committee?”