New Conflict Looms Over PDP Ahead of Key NEC Gathering

With the upcoming Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting scheduled for April 18, 2024, a new crisis is on the horizon within the party.

This development arises as doubts are cast on the NEC’s ability to take firm actions against members engaged in activities that go against the party’s interests. 3. Recently, a group of PDP federal lawmakers demanded the resignation of the party’s acting national chairman, Umar Iliya Damagun, citing alleged anti-party actions.

Led by Hon. Ikenga UgoChinyere, a House of Representatives member, these lawmakers raised concerns about the party leadership’s silence on the political situation in Rivers State, prompting intervention from President Bola Tinubu. 5. The lawmakers, claiming to represent around 60 opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly, criticized Damagum for orchestrating local government leadership changes and appointing APC members as PDP caretaker committee members in certain states. 6. They accused Damagum of steering the party towards decline, electoral losses, and legal battles, emphasizing his alleged alignment with APC interests over the PDP’s welfare. 7. The lawmakers highlighted a consensus among a wide range of party leaders regarding Damagum’s reluctance to hold elections and his preference for extending the tenures of officials through caretaker committees in 19 states where leadership terms were ending.

The decision to encompass all states was a strategic move to prevent Damagum from revealing a vast list of Caretaker Committees, mainly consisting of APC members posing as PDP affiliates. However, despite this decision, Damagun proceeded to unveil a list of APC agents as PDP committee members in Rivers State and partially in 10 other states, aiming to dismantle the PDP and lead it to extinction.

Representing at least 60 opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly, it is emphasized that they secured their electoral victories independently from the party’s support. It is evident that Damagum orchestrated this scheme to sabotage their re-election prospects, indicating his lack of interest in their success.

A collective voice from the National Assembly has emerged to denounce Damagum’s actions and demand his immediate resignation or expulsion from the party. The threat of severing ties with the leadership until his departure is made clear by the 60 PDP lawmakers.

The warning issued by the lawmakers highlights the impending consequences if Damagum manages to retain his position with the assistance of APC allies during the National Executive Committee meeting. The party is on the brink of a catastrophic downfall if such a scenario unfolds, as stated in the lawmakers’ statement on Monday.

The PDP has faced a decline in its political standing since the 2015 elections, particularly after losing the presidential seat to the APC. The recent setback in the 2023 elections, combined with internal conflicts, has further weakened the party’s position.

The dilemma within the PDP regarding members engaging in anti-party activities before and after the 2023 elections has left the party grappling with how to address these issues effectively. The future of the party remains uncertain amidst these challenges.