From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
There is uncertainty over the tenure of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC), following the factionalisation of the party organ at the weekend.
Daily Sun gathered that following the split of the party organ, stakeholders are pushing for the replacement of the NWC with a caretaker committee, which will preside over the affairs of the opposition party pending the conduct of a national convention.
The PDP NWC broke into two factions, at the weekend, with each of the factions issuing suspension and counter-suspension notices.
First, the NWC faction, led by the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, in a statement by the PDP Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, announced the suspension of Debo Ologunagba and Kamaldeen Ajibade as national publicity secretary and national legal adviser, respectively, for alleged insubordination and disloyalty.
Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, and the Deputy National Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuha, were directed to step into the offices of the suspended officials in acting capacity, pending the conclusion of investigations into the allegations against them.
On the flip-side, Ologunagba, in a counter statement, announced the suspension of Damagum as acting national chairman and Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary.
In another statement, the ‘suspended’ PDP spokesman announced the appointment of the National Treasurer, Yayari Ahmed Mohammed, as the new acting national chairman.
This is coming as PDP stakeholders have started mobilisation for a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for October 24.
The PDP had, at its last meeting on April 28, adjourned to August 15 to enable it take a decision on the election of a substantive national chairman.
Damagum has been occupying the office in acting capacity, following the ouster of Iyorchia Ayu. The acting chairman rescheduled the NEC meeting for October 24.
Last Friday, a Federal High Court, Abuja, barred the PDP from replacing Damagum until December 2025 when the tenure of the current NWC is expected to elapse.
However, spokesman of the opposition coalition, Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, have insisted that Mohammed remains the acting chair, while the party awaits the NEC meeting later this month.
The lawmaker, while reacting to an order of the Federal High Court barring the PDP from removing Damagum, said the latter had already been sacked before the order. Ugochinyere said with his ouster, the transformation of PDP will begin in earnest.
According to him, the opposition party faced many setbacks and challenges under his watch as acting national chairman.
Daily Sun gathered that ahead of the NEC meeting, some stakeholders are pushing for the replacement of the NWC that will manage the affairs of the party until a new convention is held.
A source told Daily Sun, “when Damagum visited Bauchi (last Friday) he was asked to go and reconcile with the other members of the NWC. That is everybody forgetting those suspension and reverting to his old seat.
“So, he has the option of reconciliation or all of them will be sacked and replaced with a caretaker committee. However, the other group is not even ready for peace. All those, who have grievances against Damagum, especially those, who felt shortchanged in the recent state congresses are already mobilising support for the Ologunagba group.
“Some party leaders are already angry that the NPS cannot be replaced by someone outside the South West. Besides, there is already an ethnic coloration to the whole issue. Some people are angry that the two officers sacked are Yoruba.”
When Daily Sun sought to know the import of the Federal High Court judgment, the source said: “The court order came after the act (Damagum’s suspension) had been done. That is the argument of some people in the party.”
However, in an acceptance speech, circulated by Ologunagba, yesterday, Mohammed invited the North Central, where the national chairmanship was originally zoned to submit the name of their nominee for the office ahead of the October 24 NEC meeting.
“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, desirous of revamping the party in line with the vision of its founding fathers, on Thursday, October 10, 2024 appointed me as the acting national chairman to lead the charge to rekindle the hope and aspiration of our members, especially the youths, critical stakeholders and generality of Nigerians who wish to see a political party that is ready and willing to play the role of effective opposition in the quest to develop our democracy and seek responsible and responsive government in our country.
“The NWC, under my leadership, will be guided strictly by the constitution of our party and I will, at all times, be fair to all members irrespective of their status, position or state in the party. Only this will guarantee and engender loyalty and commitment of our teeming members.
“In this regard, my primary goal, focus and mandate in the onerous assignment is to restore confidence of our members by immediately setting in motion the process to hold the long overdue NEC meeting of our party already scheduled for Thursday, October 24, 2024.
“In line with the provision of our party’s constitution, the North Central zone which is constitutionality entitled to produce a replacement to serve out the tenure of Ayu, is hereby requested to urgently meet and forward its nominee to my office for necessary preparation and forwarding for consideration and approval by NEC at the October 24, 2024 meeting,” Mohammed said in the acceptance speech.
When contacted, Abdullahi said nobody can appoint a chairman for the PDP outside the rules of the party.
“The so-called acceptance speech is just a concoction and a wishful thought in the mind of those mischief-makers, who have refused to accept the outcome or the development in the polity.
“Engagement is governed by rules. And there are rules providing for the ascension to the office of national chairman whether in acting capacity or substantive. In the case of substantive, you are returning them through congress. And the constitution is clear about it.
“There is no vacancy. Nobody can appoint anybody from anywhere. Where did they convene? Who are the members of the NWC that signed the appointment of Mohammed? What powers do they have? Is it the same people that are on suspension that convened to appoint another person. The moment they were suspended they lost the locus to act on behalf of the party. Any action they take the moment they are pronounced suspended is null and void.”
