Drama as PDP National Working Committee Splits

*Suspension, counter-suspension rock party 

*Ologunagba, Ajibade, Damagum, Anyanwu involved 

*Court stops removal of party’s acting national chairman Wabara sues for peace 

*No faction in PDP says Mohammed, pledges to resolve differences

Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The battle for the soul of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came to a head yesterday as two factions within the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) with different loyalties went on a suspension spree against each other before a court order was finally thrown in barring the removal of the Acting National Chairman, Ilya Damagum.

The first salvo was fired when the Damagum-led group which announced the suspension of the National Legal Adviser, Adeyemi Ajibade, and the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba. The suspended group responded by also announcing the sack of Damagum and the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu. Following their purported suspension of Damagum as the Acting National Chairman, the faction announced the appointment of Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed as the Acting National Chairman.
Each of the groups claimed they were setting up committees to probe disloyalty to the party and other anti-party activities which each side also dismissed with equal verve.

As the counter actions raged, Damagum led some of his loyalists from his zone to pay a visit to the Chairman of  PDP governors Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed who in his welcome speech said there was no faction in the party and that all misunderstandings would be amicably resolved.
Damagum had also in a different forum yesterday, upbraided Nigerians for voting the All Progressives Congress (APC) into power, stating that by now, those that collected wrapper and other items which swayed their judgment would have been regretting same due to the hardship occasioned by the ruling party.

However, in the light of the crisis within the NWC, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party appealed for peace.
A statement by the chairman of the BoT, Senator Adolphus Wabara stated: “The BoT calls on all sides of the NWC to sheath their swords and de-escalate the tension. The warring persons must, in the overall interest of the party, revert to the status quo to preserve the unity and stability of our great party.
“We understand that disagreements may arise, but as a party with a long-standing tradition of internal democracy, we must not let these challenges derail our collective vision. The BoT will meet with the members of the NWC to intervene, foster reconciliation, and ensure that normalcy is restored in the NWC of our great party.

“We call on all party faithful and supporters to remain calm during this period. The PDP has an effective conflict resolution mechanism, and we are confident that the current issues will be addressed and resolved in a manner that strengthens the party.
“The BoT remains fully committed to its role of promoting peace, unity, and progress within the PDP.”
In a statement earlier yesterday announcing Ajibade and Ologunagba’s suspension, Ibrahim Abdullahi, Manga, Acting National Publicity Secretary, stated: “Arising from its 593rd meeting, 10th October, 2024, the NWC has suspended the National Publicity Secretary and the National Legal Adviser of the Party, pending the determination of allegations of disloyalty and insubordination levelled against the duo.

 “In the meantime, the Deputies in the respective Directorates, Ibrahim Abdullah and Okechukwu Osuoha, have stepped-in in acting capacity.”
However, reacting to the development, Ologunagba released a statement titled, “Press Release on the Decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP on the Reported Anti-Party Activity by the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Illiya Damagum and National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu.”
“The NWC of the PDP has extensively considered the series of complaints raised against the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Illiya Damagum and National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu particularly with regard to the letter addressed by them to the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/PH/307/2024 against the Party’s position in the case involving the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who vacated their seats upon decamping from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

 “The NWC condemned this anti-party activity of the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary which is in gross violation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and their Oath of Office.
 “Consequently, the NWC, pursuant to Sections 57, 58 and 59 of the PDP Constitution, has suspended Amb. Illiya Damagum and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as Acting National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party respectively and referred them to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action.
 “In the meantime, the two officials are suspended from all meetings, activities and programs of the NWC pending the conclusion of an investigation by the National Disciplinary Committee”.

 Another letter by one Chinwe Nnorom, who claimed to be the National Director of Information of the party, stated:  “PDP NWC Directs NPS and NLA to Step Aside …Constitutes Investigation Committee”
 According to the statement earlier yesterday, “The NWC of the PDP arising from its 593rd Meeting today, Thursday, October 10, 2024, has directed the National Publicity Secretary (NPS), Hon Debo Ologunagba and National Legal Adviser (NLA), Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, to step aside, respectively.

 “As a result, the NWC constituted a committee to be chaired by the Deputy National Chairman (South) H.E. Amb. Taofeek Arapaja, to investigate the issues raised against the officers in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Party.
 “Following the NWC’s Decision, it directed their respective deputies (DNPS and DNLA) to assume office in acting capacity with effect from Friday, October 11, 2014, pending the conclusion of investigation by the Committee. The officers are:
 “Ibrahim Abdullahi Manga,, Acting National Publicity Secretary and Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha, Acting National Legal Adviser
“The NWC enjoins all leaders, critical stakeholders, teeming members and supporters of our great party to remain focused and committed as it pilots the day-to-day affairs of the PDP for its greater good.”
The emergency meeting of the NWC of the PDP had summoned a meeting to suspend alleged erring members of the leadership ended in fracas.

 The NWC members had retired to their emergency meeting after the Board of Trustees meeting to suspended suspend the National Legal Adviser Adeyemi Ajibade,. National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyegikuro and National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba . Ologunagba was not in the country
 At the meeting that took place at the NWC hall, when the matter came up for discussion, the National Legal Adviser walked out when tempers flared and was seen making calls. Ajibade later walked into the meeting and carried his files and left.
 The National Financial Secretary was seen shouting at the top of his voice, saying “it cannot happen. It will not happen.”
 But the deputy national chairman for south, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja countered the National Financial Secretary, saying, “Let’s see how three members can be more than 17 members . We have the numbers.”

 Some members of the NWC were seen banging their table, shouting, “who the hell are you. You have no right to dictate to us, we have the majority”.
 At this stage when tempers were high, the acting national chairman, Damagum called off the meeting and all of them were guided into their various vehicles by their security aides and the meeting ended without achieving the desired objective of suspending anyone
 Yesterday’s meeting was seen as battle for the control of the opposition PDP but it took a new dimension as the Damagum-led NWC is said to be under pressure to sanction some of its members perceived to be divergent to former Rivers State Governor and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike.

This is coming as the PDP NWC is said to have split sharply along the line of those loyal to the FCT Minister and those believed to be rooting for the supremacy of the party’s Constitution.
THISDAY gathered that the Damagum-led NWC summoned an emergency meeting yesterday to suspend the said anti-Wike members for allegedly insisting on the adherence to Party rules particularly on the issue of Rivers State PDP Congresses.
It was gathered that the activities of the members listed for suspension have frustrated several moves by a particular camp to weaken the party and secure total control of its structure ahead of the 2027 general election.

The battle for the soul of the PDP shifted to the control of Rivers State structure with Damagum and Anyanwu in August this year, writing to the Appeal Court insisting that the PDP would remain on an appeal over the embattled 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly contrary to the legal position of the party.
The tussle for control of Rivers State PDP took a national dimension after FCT Minister Nyesom Wike stood his ground on the party’s structure in Rivers State and threatened to “put fire” in the state of any PDP governor that intervene in the affairs of the party in Rivers State.

 The offence of the National Legal Adviser was that he swore an affidavit to a Rivers State High Court that the party is a party to the ongoing suit against members of the 27 House of Assembly. He quoted the PDP constitution to back up his affidavit.
But Anyanwu had countered him that he has no powers to do so.
On the National Publicity Secretary, his offence was his letter on October 4, that the party supported the controversial local government election in Rivers State.
The Damagum led NWC was charging him that his actions were unilateral as the leadership of the party did not authorise such press conference.

Court Bars NEC, BoT from Removing Damagum

Justice Peter Lifu of a Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday restrained the National Executive committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP from removing Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of the party.
 Justice Lifu in a judgment held that by the constitution of the PDP, having come from the same region as the former National Chairman, Senator Iyorcha Ayu, the acting chairman is entitled to serve out the remaining four year term of Ayu, who resigned as PDP’s chairman last year.

 A chairman of the PDP in Yobe State Umar El-Gash Maina had dragged the NEC, BoT and eight others to court over alleged plans to illegally remove Damagum as acting chairman of the PDP. The plaintiff claimed that two separate letters complaining against the clandestine meetings were delivered to the National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and that despite the acknowledgment of the two letters the National Secretary and other members have never deemed it fit to act on the letters and their claims.

 Marina through his lawyer, Mr. Joshua Musa, therefore prayed the court to invoke Article 45, 47 and 67 of the PDP’s Constitution to stop the move to replace Damagum as Acting National Chairman.
He specifically asked the court to declare that the national chairmanship of PDP is rotated between the north and south region and not by any other procedure not enshrined in the PDP’s laws.

Delivering judgment, Justice Lifu agreed with the plaintiff that Damagum can only be replaced after the national convention of the PDP or through an order of a court. Justice Lifu also held that any attempt to truncate the unexhausted four years tenure of the northern region without the national convention of the party will amount to an affront to the constitution of the PDP.
He subsequently ordered that no other person must be recognised as PDP national chairman other than Damagum, until the national convention of the party scheduled for December next year. The judge held that in line with Article 42, 47 and 67 of PDP, it was only at the national convention of the party that national officers can be elected.
In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/ CS/579/2024, Justice Lifu said that PDP members were bound by the Constitution of the party and as such must always act in line with the provisions and obedience to the party’s law.

 No Factions in PDP, Says Mohammed

Meanwhile, as the crisis within the PDP continues to deepen, Chairman of the Party’s Governors’ Forum, Senator Bala Mohammed has dismissed reports of factions within the party, reiterating the commitment of the party to resolve all the challenges bedeviling it.
Bala Mohammed stated this yesterday when he received the leadership of the party from the North-East led by the embattled Acting National Chairman of the party, Damagum who paid him a solidarity visit at the Government House in Bauchi, amidst reports that Damagun had been suspended from the party.

 The Governor who maintained that the party remained intact and capable of addressing its internal crises, assured that the party would deepen stake holdings and collaboration to address every issue disparaging members.
While regretting his disagreement with Damagum, he said that it had been costly on both sides, adding, “I took a position that was against him and certainly you are going to have these disparaging manifestations that we have now decided henceforth we will not allow it.

“It is you people that are creating imaginary divisions in the PDP whereas there’s none. We are not recognising any faction. We are together as a party and we will definitely resolve all our issues “.
He noted that the Northeast was the center of politicking in Nigeria, pointing out that this has further strengthen the bond between members of the party from the region.
“I am happy over your visit and have gotten first-hand information on what is happening in the party and as loyal party members, of all that is happening, the leadership tussle, the court judgments and what have you, would soon be addressed and PDP will come out strong”
 “This is why I always said that we may have problems and political hiccups, but certainly, we have a way of coming back and taking stock of our problems and challenges and making sure that we have a common front.

“The coming of Ambassador came at a day that we have a lot of problems in the party because from what I heard of the stories from the media and I had the privilege of discussing extensively with the Acting National Chairman, the happenings in the party, the suspensions and other legal issues and so on. As a leader, I am highly privileged to get this first-hand information because it will determine our actions and collaborations,” he said
 Speaking earlier during the visit, Damagum said that they were at the government house to appreciate Governor Bala Mohammed as the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum as well as discuss on issues affecting the party.

 Damagum pledged his continuous loyalty and support to the party, assuring that the PDP would bounce back and take over power in 2027.

Nigerians Have Learnt Bitter Lesson of Collecting Wrappers

 Embattled Acting National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Ilya Damagum, has accused a section of Nigeria’s electorate of being blinded by wrapper and food items inducement to vote for President Bola Tinubu.

He declared that Nigerians are now learning the bitter lesson of collecting wrappers and spaghetti to vote incompetent leaders to office.

PDP Acting National Chairman lamented that the majority of Nigerians continue to experience hardship owing to the policies of President Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to him, “The APC was never prepared for governance so how do you expect any good to come out from them?”.

“Those that collected spaghetti and wrappers to bring in this government are feeling it more than anybody else and this should be a lesson for all of us that we should look for credibility , those who are actually proven and tested, those who are ready to govern us, not ‘it’s my time’   like they have always said.”