PDP Leaders Begins Fresh Moves To Replace Damagum As Acting National Chairman

The camps of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and that of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have returned to the drawing board to re-strategise ahead of the rescheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 28.

Wike had, while addressing his supporters in Port-Harcourt at an event, last week, promised to continue to be “a problem for Atiku, Obi and some PDP governors”, who are politically opposed to him and President Bola Tinubu.

The camps of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and that of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have returned to the drawing board to re-strategise ahead of the rescheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 28.

Wike had, while addressing his supporters in Port-Harcourt at an event, last week, promised to continue to be “a problem for Atiku, Obi and some PDP governors”, who are politically opposed to him and President Bola Tinubu.

Sunday Vanguard gathered in Abuja that Wike and his loyalists have been holding meetings in Abuja and Port-Harcourt to safeguard what they consider a string of court victories in the intra-party power struggle.

The camp considered it advantageous that the NEC meeting was rescheduled to November because it would save time for its poster boy, the PDP Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, to remain in office.

In contrast, the Atiku camp has been licking its wounds since the former substantive National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, resigned his position and moves to replace him with a candidate from the North Central has been stalling.

A decision by a Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the NEC and the party’s Board of Trustees from removing Damagum from office has further complicated matters.

Appealing court order Atiku Party insiders, however, confirmed to Sunday Vanguard, that a team of lawyers under the guidance of two prominent Senior Advocates of Nigeria is being assembled to appeal the court order.

A member of the party’s NEC familiar with this development who spoke on condition of anonymity, for fear of retribution said, “Of course, we are appealing the court order.

“Go back to the resolution of our 98th NEC meeting held on April 18th. It was resolved that the NWC should conduct congresses at the relevant levels in states where the tenures of their executives have lapsed and prepare grounds for a replacement for Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu who resigned from his position.

“But for some strange reasons, Damagum has found one excuse or another to cling to power in an acting capacity by refusing to convene NEC.

“To further complicate matters, he caused his lieutenants in Yobe State, to go to court to restrain the Board of Trustees and NEC from removing him from office.

“This man is still the Deputy National Chairman (North), a position he also holds today.

“How can a man who says he has the party’s best interest at heart, go to court and tie our hands by removing one of the main items on the agenda of our NEC meeting?

“We have news for him, he can’t be acting chairman in perpetuity. That judgement or whatever it is will be appealed and vacated.”

The source further explained that it was out of place for the Wike camp to celebrate the latest shift in the date for the NEC meeting.

Ondo election
The source said, “The shift in the date for the NEC meeting was a win-win for everyone. Irrespective of which camp any of us belongs to, no one wants to be blamed if anything goes wrong with the Ondo State governorship election.

“Yes, the postponement gives Damagum more time but it also affords others the time to go to Court and get the contentious order vacated. “

The North-Central is however not giving up on its demand to produce Ayu’s replacement.

A former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it would be wishful thinking for anyone to imagine the zone will give up on its desire to have the letter and spirit of Section 47 (6) of the party’s constitution respected.

He said, “The PDP is a party built on the rule of law as enshrined in our constitution. Our party is the only institution that has survived this long as a political party.