Despite many discussions and meetings, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is still struggling to remove the beleaguered acting national chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, according to The Nation.
The most recent consultation took place on Thursday during a meeting of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) in Abuja, where members voiced their dissatisfaction with “the current state of affairs in the PDP,” particularly concerning the party’s administration.
For the umpteenth time, the BoT expressed disappointment over the “ongoing delays by the National Working Committee (NWC) in calling a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.” They noted that this delay is eroding members’ trust and confidence, leading to perceptions that the party has been taken over by certain interests.
While the meeting was ongoing, it was reported that Eriethake Ibori-Suenu, a PDP House of Representatives member from Ethiope in Delta State and daughter of former Governor James Ibori, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). BoT members viewed this defection as further evidence of the alleged incompetence of the current National Executive Committee, specifically blaming Damagum and suggesting that his time in leadership was coming to an end.
Senator Ahmed Makarfi, a former acting National Chairman of the PDP and the BoT Secretary, played a crucial role in diffusing tension as discussions grew contentious.
The majority of BoT members expressed significant distrust in Damagum’s leadership. They called on the NWC to “immediately work to restore internal harmony, unity, stability, and public confidence in the party by adhering to the PDP Constitution and ensuring proper zoning of NWC positions across the country’s geopolitical regions.”
In a communique issued at the meeting’s conclusion, they also insisted that the NWC “demonstrate leadership, keep its promises, and hold the NEC meeting as scheduled in February 2025.” They emphasized that any additional postponement could worsen ongoing issues and potentially doom the party.
The BoT urged North Central Zone leaders to quickly gather stakeholders for the purpose of nominating a replacement for former National Chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu.
However, supporters of Damagum are confident that he will remain in his position until December 2025, as per an interim injunction he recently secured. One supporter, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated, “It is incorrect to claim that he (Damagum) fears removal if the NEC meeting occurs in February as requested by both the PDP Governors’ Forum on November 23 and the BoT on November 6. He has assured us that a court has confirmed he cannot be dismissed until the next convention late next year, but if he ceases to be the acting National Chairman, he will quietly continue as Deputy National Chairman (North).”
Under Article 35 (2) and (3) of the PDP Constitution, Damagum assumed the role of acting National Chairman following Senator Iyorchia Ayu’s departure. Supporters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are pushing for his removal, believing that Damagum is aligned with Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, who is not favored by Atiku and his backers due to perceived blame for the PDP’s loss in the 2023 presidential election.
