Mariam Adebukola 
Barring the last-minute changes, the supporters of the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, are advocating for the former Senate President, David Mark, to become the next National Chairman of the party.
New Telegraph recalls that following the suspension of the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, in March 2023, at the ward level in Benue State, PDP has been without a permanent Chairman.
Umar Ililya Damagum assumed the role of acting national chairman following Ayu’s suspension, but it is reported that Atiku’s supporters are uneasy with his leadership.
The group supporting the former Vice President expressed dissatisfaction with Damagum’s appointment, as they perceive him to be closely associated with a former governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who is serving in the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
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Sources that spoke with journalists believe Mark if appointed as the next Chairman has the capacity to deal with renegade party members who are involved in anti-party activities.
Some supporters of Atiku, along with former Jigawa governor Sule Lamido, former Niger governor Babangida Aliyu, and former minister Adamu Maina Waziri, contemplated taking action against the acting chairman. However, they eventually reconsidered their plans due to concerns about potential negative repercussions.
A former governor told newsmen “You would expect the PDP to have suspended or expelled Wike by now for his anti-party activities, worsened by his acceptance of a ministerial appointment from a rival party.
“But it is very clear that the national working committee is in Wike’s pocket, so we should not expect any form of discipline in the party.”
