*Iliya Damagum
PDP Acting National Chairman.
By Pathfinder Reporter
Thursday January 30, 2025
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The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Governors Forum has called for an emergency meeting on Friday in Asaba, Delta State, to redress the challenges plaguing the party.
Last Wednesday at the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting held in Abuja, decency was thrown to the wind as supporters of Senator Samuel Anyanwu attacked the former Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye.
Both Samuel Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye lay claim to the position of the national secretary.
In December 2024, the court of appeal ruled that Ude-Okoye should replace Anyanwu as the PDP national secretary.
Anyanwu had, however, obtained several court injunctions preventing his removal from office.
Anyanwu appealed the judgment affirming his removal and also filed for a stay of execution at the Supreme Court on the same day the appeal court delivered the verdict in favor of Ude-Okoye.
On Wednesday, Anyanwu was present at the commencement of the meeting, while Ude-Okoye arrived some minutes later but was prevented from attending the meeting.
Ude-Okoye attempted to force his way in but was firmly blocked by Emmanuel Okoronkwo, a party protocol officer and Anyanwu’s aide.
His supporters then scaled the fence into the secretariat premises, overpowering Okoronkwo and others who had blocked Ude-Okoye from entering the meeting hall.
According to findings, the governors’ emergency meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, is meant to redress the challenges plaguing the party.
The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, said the crisis rocking the main opposition party is fuelled by party leaders who are supposed to unite them.
Damagum, speaking to members of the Board of Trustees in Abuja on Wednesday, emphasized that he would do everything in his power to ensure the PDP National Executive Committee meeting takes place in February, as requested by the party’s Governors Forum and other party organs.
A senior member of the National Working Committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak on the issue, disclosed that BoT members protested the assault on former National Youth Leader Sunday Ude-Okoye, by a supporter of the embattled National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu during the BoT meeting.
The source revealed that the primary agenda for the meeting convened by the Forum led by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, includes the urgent need for a NEC meeting, ongoing preparations for the zonal congresses, the National Secretary crisis, a report from Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum on the party’s status, and a review of the state of the nation.
The PDP had been engulfed in crisis since the 2023 elections with many party members accusing Damagum, a close ally of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, of being responsible for the unrest within the party.
At present, the National Working Committee, BoT, zonal, and state chapters are all embroiled in crisis, with members aligning themselves with different leaders.
Also, Wike, the Bauchi governor, and others have continued to exchange harsh words, further escalating the schism in the party.
Commenting on the crisis, Damagum, who called the situation unfortunate, accused some members of the BoT of being complicit in the turmoil.
He stated, “I want to say this with the highest sense of responsibility: part of this crisis that you see today within the NWC is propelled by our leaders who are supposed to unite us.
“It is very unfortunate, I would say it the way it is, where people are called, we all know the working of NWC, some of you here have been NWC members. I’ll be sitting down as the chairman only to see my NWC members called by certain leaders to visit certain places, without my knowledge.
“And I want to use this opportunity to caution us, caution our leaders. You may have ambition, but you don’t ride on a dead horse to reach your destination. If you create a crisis simply to further your ambition, you may get what you want, but your dream will not be realized because, by that time, you have injured the horse you are going to ride to that destination.
“And as the conscience of this party, some of us are also complicit. We should look inward and search our conscience. This party is dear to all of us, it is the only thing we have. The hope of Nigerians today is on this party, so we should sheath our swords and work towards uniting ourselves so that we’ll have a credible vehicle that can challenge what is bedeviling us.”
The party leader further urged leaders not to take any action that could disrupt the ongoing processes for the zonal congresses.
He continued, “At the last meeting we had with the governor, we all agreed we’ll have NEC (meeting). I want to assure you that we will do everything possible to have this NEC this February.
“You are all aware we’ve started the process of zonal congresses. Even at that, I enjoin our leaders to also be mindful of doing anything that can mar these congresses. It is very important to sound this note because whatever we do, it is the structure you are building to hold what you have in your hand.”
In his remarks, the BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara expressed frustration over the crisis.
He cautioned party leaders not to let personal interests and ambitions take precedence over the party’s well-being.
He stated, “This meeting comes at a time when the unity, focus direction, and ideals of our great party are being tested in ways that call for reflection and decisive action.
“Primarily, let me express my profound disappointment over the crises currently rocking the leadership of the National Working Committee. As elder statesmen and women; leaders who hold the trust of the generality of our party members and the public, it is disheartening that these issues have not been resolved.
“The failure to resolve these internal conflicts undermines the strength and credibility of our party. It is, therefore, imperative that the NWC rises above personal interests and places the survival and progress of our great party above all other considerations. In light of these challenges, I must emphasize the urgent need for a National Executive Committee meeting.
“I again urge the NWC to honor its words and convene the NEC meeting as scheduled in February 2025. It is pertinent to stress that party members across the country are in earnest expectation that the NEC meeting will be held this February.
“The NEC remains the highest decision-making body of our party, and we must convene without further delay to address these pressing concerns. The NEC meeting will serve as a platform to reaffirm our shared commitment to the unity, discipline, and ideals that bind us together as members of the PDP.”
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