Hong Jeong, a spokesperson for the House of Representatives opposition coalition, said: Mr. Ikenga Ugotinyere has criticized the recent court order restraining the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Mr. Umar Damagun as Acting National Chairman.
In a statement released on Friday, Ugotinyere stressed that the court’s ruling does not prevent the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) from taking action against Damagun before he is suspended. .
He noted that there were no orders from the Federal or State High Courts guaranteeing Damagun’s continued leadership after what he called his “long-overdue removal.”
The controversy stems from the PDP’s decision to suspend Mr. Damagun and subsequently appoint the current National Treasurer, Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed, as Acting National Chairman.
The decision came despite Justice Peter Riff of the Federal High Court in Abuja issuing a restraining order reaffirming Mr Damagun’s position until the party’s national conference scheduled for December next year.
Mr Ugochinyere criticized the timing of Justice Rif’s order, suggesting it favored factions aligned with controversial former governor Nyesom Wike within the PDP.
He maintained that Mr Mohammed will continue to serve as acting chairman as the party prepares for the NEC meeting later this month.
Mr. Ugochinyele further urged the court to refrain from intervening in internal party matters, insisting that the PDP should resolve the leadership dispute on its own.
