PDP

Governors under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have arrived in Jos, Plateau State, for a key meeting on Saturday.

The meeting, which comes ahead of the party’s national convention scheduled for next Thursday in Abuja, is aimed at addressing the ongoing leadership tussle within the party.

Although the specific agenda of the meeting has not been officially disclosed, sources within the party indicate that the gathering of the PDP governors in Jos is aimed at solidifying their positions in the upcoming leadership elections. The dispute over the party’s leadership, particularly regarding the position of the national chairman, has been a point of contention in recent months.

The meeting is expected to provide a platform for the governors to articulate their positions and strategies for the election of a new national chairman at the convention.

The party’s leadership crisis went bad following the suspension of the former national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, by his ward exco. Since then, the search for a new leader has been fraught with disagreements over who should fill the role.

A faction of the party led by 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar is pushing for the removal of Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum. Meanwhile, another faction backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, is seeking his retention till a national convention in 2025.

“As the PDP moves closer to its national convention, all eyes are now on the Jos meeting, with party loyalists and observers keen to see whether the governors can broker a resolution to the leadership crisis.

The outcome of this crucial meeting could determine the future trajectory of the party, especially in its quest for political relevance in the coming years,” BusinessDay quoted a source as saying in Jos.

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Umar 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 scheduled for December next year.

Justice Lifu issued the restraining order against the PDP NEC, BoT, and others while delivering judgment in a suit instituted against them by Senator Umar El-Gash 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, 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 have been holding clandestine meetings to forcefully remove Damagum from office in gross violation of the party’s constitution.

He said that a former deputy governor of Kogi State, Phillip Salawu, was being pushed forward as a 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, Samuel Anyanwu, and that despite the acknowledgment of the two letters, the national secretary and BoT members have never deemed it fit to act on the letters and their claims.

In the suit instituted on his behalf by Joshua Musa who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the plaintiff therefore prayed the court to invoke articles 45, 47, and 67 of the 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 chairmanship of the PDP is rotated between the north and south regions and not through any other procedure not enshrined in the PDP’s Constitution.

In his judgment 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 the un-exhausted four-year tenure of the northern region without the national convention of the party would amount to an affront to the Constitution of the PDP.

Following the suspension of His Excellency, Amb. Illiya Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Working Committee (NWC) has approved the appointment of Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed as the Acting National Chairman.

The appointment which takes immediate effect is pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017)

The NWC calls on all Organs, leaders, critical stakeholder and members of our great Party to remain focused at this critical time especially as the NWC commences arrangements towards the holding of the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting already scheduled for Thursday, 24th October, 2024.

Signed:

Hon. Debo Ologunagba
National Publicity Secretary

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN.

The suspension was announced by the PDP National Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, in a statement issued early Friday.

Leading reporters reports that Ologunagba and Ajibade recently emerged as key voices, urging the National Chairman, Umar Damagum, to adhere to the party’s constitution, especially in the crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the party.

The NWC directed Ologunagba and Ajibade to step aside, citing the need to investigate concerns raised against them.

“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) arising from its 593rd Meeting today, Thursday, October 10, 2024, has directed the National Publicity Secretary (NPS), Hon Debo Ologunagba and National Legal Adviser (NLA), Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, to step aside,” the statement read in part.

A committee led by Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja has been constituted to investigate the issues raised against the suspended officers. The committee will operate in accordance with the party’s constitution, the statement added.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Abdullahi Manga will serve as Acting National Publicity Secretary, while Okechukwu Osuoha will act as Acting National Legal Adviser, effective from today, October 11, 2024.

In a surprising turn of events, a faction of the NWC has also suspended the National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, citing anti-party activities. The faction alleged that Damagum and Anyanwu’s actions violated the party’s constitution and their oath of office.