The crisis in the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened as two factions in the National Working Committee (NWC) announced factional chairmen. There were suspension and counter-suspension of national officers by the two factions. The faction led by the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, had announced the suspension of the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN). The faction in a statement by Director of Publicity Chinwe Nnorum, said the decision to suspend the two national officers was reached at the NWC meeting. “The National Working Committee at its 593rd meeting of Thursday, October 10, discussed the allegation of abuse of office, insubordination and refusal to adhere to the directives of the NWC, against Ajibade and Ologunagba and approved that the two National Officers should be suspended from all NWC activities while the committee constituted to look into the allegation carry-on with a thorough investigation,” the faction said in the statement. The statement accused the national officers of abuse of office, insubordination and refusal to adhere to the directives of the NWC, Ibrahim Abdullahi, who was before now Deputy National Publicity Secretary, was appointed Acting spokesperson while Okechukwu Osuoha was named Acting National Legal Adviser.
Counter suspension
Ologunagba in a counter statement however, announced the suspension of Damagum and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, for anti-party activity. He said the duo were sus- pended 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 defecting from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He added: “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 programmes of the NWC pending the conclusion of investigation by the National Disciplinary Committee.” The suspended party spokesperson announced the appointment of Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed as the Acting National Chairman, and said the party is focused towards holding the scheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on October 24. Abdullahi later in an interactive session with journalists, said Ologunagba and Ajibade were suspended for issuing a statement supporting the Rivers State local government election against the decision of the NWC. Incidentally, Alhaji Mohammed, who was appointed as factional Chairman, is a member of the NWC committee to investigate the issues raised against Ologunagba and Ajibade. The committee is headed by National Chairman (South) Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja. The acting National Publicity Secretary dismissed the suspension of Damagum and Anyanwu, and said there was no information of the meeting where such a decision was reached. According to him, out of 12 members present at the 593rd NWC meeting where the decision to suspend the two national officers was reached, eight voted in favour while four voted against.
BoT intervenes
Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party has waded into the crisis and called for de-escalation of tension. BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, in a statement on Friday, promised to address the situation and provide clarity on the party’s stance. Wabara called on all sides of the NWC to sheath their swords, adding that “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.” According to him, as a party with a long-standing tradition of internal democracy, PDP should not let these challenges derail its collective vision. He assured that the BoT will meet with the members of the NWC to intervene, foster reconciliation, and ensure that normalcy is restored in the NWC. “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,” he said. Wabara stated that the BoT is fully committed to its role of promoting peace, unity, and progress within the PDP. In a statement released in the early hours of Friday by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the duo were suspended for anti-party activities. The statement said the decision to suspend the two national officers was reached at the NWC meeting, based on “a series of complaints raised against” them. It stated that “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. The statement added that the two officials have been suspended from all meetings, activities and programmes of the NWC pending the conclusion of investigation by the Nation- al Disciplinary Committee. Damagum and Anyanwu had earlier defended their action, claiming that it is within the constitutional power to write such a letter. It could be recalled that there has been division in the NWC, which came to the open when a faction visited Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, without the acting National Chairman and National Secretary.
Court bars PDP NEC, BoT from sacking Damagum as Ag. Nat’l Chairman
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday restrained the National Executive Committee (NEC) and BoT of the PDP from removing Ambassador Umar Ilya Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of the party. The court ordered that no other person must be recognised as PDP national chairman other than Damagum until the national convention of the party is held. Justice Peter Lifu issued the restraining order against PDP NEC, BoT and others while delivering judgement in a suit instituted against them by Senator Umar ElGash Maina. The judge held that in line with Articles 42, 47 and 67 of PDP, it is 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 are 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.
The plaintiff, who claimed to be chairman of PDP in Yobe State, had instituted the suit against PDP and eight others alleging that some stakeholders of the party had been holding clandestine meetings to forcefully remove Damagum from office in gross violation of the party’s Constitution. He said that a former Dep- uty Governor of Kogi State, Dr Phillip Omeiza Salawu, was being pushed forward as replacement for Damagun by the stakeholders. Maina claimed that upon becoming aware of the plan, 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 SecLawrence Olaoye, Abuja First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has urged the government and parents to continue to invest in girls and teach them to believe in themselves and the values of self-worth and dignity, thereby equipping them with the confidence to face the future. This charge was contained in a statement she personally signed commemorating the International Day of the Girl Child Friday. The First Lady wrote “I join in the celebration of the year 2024 International Day of the Girl Child.The theme for this year, Girls’ Vision for the Future is very apt. retary and BoT members had never deemed it fit to act on the letters and their claims. In the suit instituted on his behalf by Joshua Musa, SAN, the plaintiff therefore prayed the court to invoke article 45, 47 and 67 of PDP Constitution to stop the move to replace Damagum as the Acting National Chairman. The plaintiff specifically asked the court to declare that the national chairman- ship of PDP is rotated between the north and south region and not through any other procedure not enshrined in the PDP’s Constitution. In his judgement after perusing the PDP’s Constitution and exhibits, Justice Lifu agreed with the plaintiff that Damagum can only be replaced at the national convention of PDP or through an order of a court. Justice Lifu also held that any attempt to truncate un-exhausted 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. Earlier, the judge had dismissed the opposition of the defendants to the suit on the grounds that the plaintiff had no locus standi to bring out the case and that the court lacked jurisdiction. Justice Lifu held that the plaintiff predicated his suit on the protection of PDP Constitution from being violated and the northern region where he hailed from, from being shortchanged from the four year tenure. Justice Lifu said that the plaintiff having displayed his PDP membership card before the court and having raised the fundamental issue of protection PDP’s Constitution had sufficient interest and justiciable cause to institute the case. The judge therefore declared that PDP NEC and BoT are bound by the party’s Constitution and that Damagum as national chairman can only be replaced through the national convention of the party. He also held that Damagum, having been appointed from the northern region where the former national chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu hails from, is entitled to serve out the remaining tenure of the national chairman.