The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party has called on the two factions within the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to sheathe their swords and return to the status quo.
The PDP BoT made this call in a statement issued by its chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, in Abuja on Friday, as part of a move to intervene in the ongoing national crisis that has shaken the national leadership of the party.
PDP crisis intensifies as NWC faction suspends national chairman and secretary
Recall that the crisis rocking the PDP was exacerbated by the emergence of two factions in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC). Both factions issued separate statements suspending key NWC officials.
The NWC faction, in a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, on Friday, suspended its acting National Chairman, Umaru Damagumu, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for their alleged anti-party activities.
However, another faction of the NWC loyal to Damagum also announced late Friday the suspension of National Legal Adviser Kamaludeen Ajibade and Mr Ologunagba over their alleged allegiance to the party.
In an earlier statement, Ologunagba announced the suspension of Damagum and Anyanwu, saying they had been referred to the party’s National Disciplinary Committee.
He said the NWC’s decision followed reports of anti-party activities by Damagum and Anyangwu.
Mr. Ologunagba further said that the PDP NWC had extensively reviewed a series of complaints lodged against the two state servants.
“This is particularly with regard to the letter they wrote to the Court of Appeal against the party’s position in a case involving 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who have resigned: CA/PH/307/2024 PDP to All Progressives Congress seat when he seceded to (APC).
“The NWC condemns this anti-party activity of the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary, which is in flagrant violation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and its oath.
“As a result, the NWC has suspended Mr. Damagum and Mr. Anyanwu as acting party chairman and national secretary, respectively, pursuant to Articles 57, 58 and 59 of the PDP Constitution, and the NWC has suspended Mr. Damagum and Mr. Anyangwu as acting party chairman and national secretary, respectively, and has referred the National Disciplinary Committee to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action. “I have referred the matter to the council,” he said. .
Ologunagba said the two executives have been suspended from all meetings, activities and programs of the NWC pending the conclusion of an investigation by the party’s National Disciplinary Committee.
Meanwhile, another faction of the NWC that has supported Damagum also announced the suspension of Ologunagba and Ajibade.
The PDP National Communications Director, Chinwe Norom, who disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, said that in accordance with the party constitution, a committee had been set up to investigate concerns raised against party members.
He said the committee will be headed by Taofik Alapaja, national vice-chairman (southern).
“As a result, the NWC has established a committee chaired by His Excellency the National Vice-Chairman (Southern) Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja to investigate the issues raised against the officers in accordance with the provisions of the party constitution.
“Following the decision of the NWC, the NWC has directed the respective members (DNPS) and (DNLA) to assume office as acting representatives from Friday, October 11, 2024, pending the conclusion of the investigation by the committee,” he said. said.
Mr. Norom appointed officers Ibrahim Manga, Acting National Publicity Secretary, and Acting National Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha.
“The NWC would like to thank all leaders, key stakeholders, influential members and supporters of our great party for their focus and dedication in advancing the day-to-day operations of the PDP for the greater good. “I order them to take action,” he said.
PDP NWC faction appoints Yayari Mohammed as acting national chairman
As the crisis in the PDP worsens, the NWC faction that suspended Mr. Ilya Damagum has appointed Mr. Alhaji Yayari Mohammed as the new acting national chairman. A statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, in Abuja on Friday, said Mr. Muhammad’s appointment was approved by the NWC.
According to him, the appointment is effective immediately in accordance with the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017). Mr Ologunagba called on all institutions, leaders, key stakeholders and party members to remain focused “at this critical time”.
He said calm was important, especially as the NWC began making arrangements for holding the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on October 24.
The worsening crisis within the country’s main party has led to the emergence of two factions, each issuing separate statements suspending key NWC executives.
The NWC faction, in a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, on Friday, suspended its acting national chairman, Damagumu, and its national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for their alleged anti-party activities.
Later, another faction of the NWC loyal to Damagum announced the suspension of the National Legal Adviser, Kamarudeen Ajibade, and Mr. Ologunagba for their alleged allegiance to Damagum.
In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Director, Pastor Chinwe Norom, the NWC faction directed Mr. Ologunagba and Mr. Kamaludeen Ajibade to leave their seats.
The faction also constituted a committee, chaired by National Vice-President (South) Taofik Alapaja, to investigate issues raised against officials in accordance with the provisions of the party constitution.
“Following the NWC’s decision, the NWC has directed the respective representatives of the two suspended state civil servants to serve on suspended sentences starting from Friday, pending the conclusion of the investigation by the commission.
“He is represented by the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ibrahim Manga, and the Acting National Legal Adviser, Mr. Okechukwu Osuoha,” Norom said.
Court blocks PDP national leadership from removing Damagum as agriculture chairman
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday restrained the National Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Mr. Umaru Damagumu as Acting National Chairman of the party.
Judge Peter Riff handed down the verdict on Friday after a virtual hearing in Abuja, watched by reporters.
Justice Riff ordered the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) not to confirm any other person as the party’s national chairman until the party’s national convention scheduled for December 2025. .
The judge held that under Articles 42, 47 and 67 of the PDP, national officers can only be elected at the party’s national convention.
He said PDP members are bound by the party constitution and must always act in accordance with party regulations and abide by party laws. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/579/2024, was filed by Joshua Musasan, SAN on behalf of Senator Umaru Maina.
The plaintiff, who identified himself as the Yobe PDP chairman, sued the PDP and eight others. He alleged that some stakeholders in the party had held secret meetings to forcibly remove Damagum, in gross violation of the party’s constitution.
He said former Deputy Governor of Kogi, Dr. Philip Salau, was being pushed by stakeholders to replace Mr. Damagun.
Mr Maina claimed that upon learning of the plan, two separate letters were delivered to the party’s national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, protesting the secret meeting.
He said that despite acknowledging the two letters, the national secretary and BoT members never considered it appropriate to act on the letters and their allegations.
He, therefore, prayed the court to invoke Articles 45, 47 and 67 of the PDP Constitution to stop the move to replace Mr. Damagum as Acting National Chairman.
The petitioner specifically asked the court to declare that the position of national chairman of the PDP is rotated between the north and south regions and that no other procedure is followed that is not provided for in the constitution.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Riff agreed with the plaintiffs that Damagum could only be removed by the PDP’s national convention or by order of the court.
He also opined that any attempt to terminate the four-year unexpired term of the Northern Region without holding the party’s national convention would amount to an affront to the PDP’s constitution.
Sheathe your sword and return to the status quo – PDP BoT tells NWC faction
Meanwhile, as part of a move to intervene in the ongoing internal crisis rocking the party’s national leadership, the central bank has urged two factions within the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to sheathe their swords and return to the status quo. I called out.
The PDP BoT made this call in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by its Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, who called on all sides of the NWC to sheath their swords and de-escalate tensions. He also called on the belligerents to return to the status quo in order to maintain party unity and stability.
“We understand that differences of opinion may arise, but as a party with a long tradition of intraparty democracy, we must not let these challenges derail our collective vision. . BoT will meet with members of the NWC to intervene, facilitate reconciliation and ensure that our great party’s NWC returns to normalcy.
“We appeal to all party members and supporters to remain calm during this period. The PDP has an effective dispute resolution mechanism that will address current issues in a manner that strengthens the party and I am confident that it will be resolved,” he said.
Wabara said the BoT remains fully committed to its role of promoting peace, unity and progress within the party.
The NWC faction, in a statement by the party’s National Public Relations Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, on Friday, suspended its acting National Chairman, Mr. Umaru Damagumu, and its National Secretary, Mr. Samuel Anyanwu, for their alleged anti-party activities.
The faction also announced Alhaji Yayari Mohammed as its new acting leader.
Meanwhile, another faction of the NWC loyal to Damagum also announced the suspension of National Legal Adviser Kamaludeen Ajibade and Mr Ologunagba for their alleged allegiance to the party.
The NWC faction, in a statement issued by the party’s national communications director, Pastor Chinwe Norom, directed Mr. Ologunagba and Mr. Kamaludeen Ajibade to leave the party.
The faction also constituted a committee, chaired by National Vice-President (South) Taofik Alapaja, to investigate issues raised against officials in accordance with the provisions of the party constitution.
“Following the NWC’s decision, the NWC has directed the respective representatives of the two suspended state civil servants to serve on suspended sentences starting from Friday, pending the conclusion of the investigation by the commission.
“He is represented by the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ibrahim Manga, and the Acting National Legal Adviser, Mr. Okechukwu Osuoha,” Norom said.
