All eyes on PDP governors as Ayu’s lawsuit withdrawal alters balance for Damagum    

• Governors rule out discussion on change of leadership
• North Central leaders insist on producing next chairman
• Damagum gets confidence vote from NWC
• Clark advises PDP to discipline members who worked against its victory
• Don’t fall for Wike’s gimmicks, Secondus warns

Ahead of today’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the main opposition’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), governors elected on the party’s platform yesterday rose from a meeting and declared that they won’t discuss change of leadership for the party.

The meeting, which had eight of the 13 PDP governors in attendance resolved to work with the party’s leadership to resolve existing crises.

In a communiqué read by the Bauchi State governor and chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed, it was stated that “the meeting reviewed recent developments in the party and urged the National Working Committee (NWC) to set in motion the machinery to conduct credible congresses in all the states where tenures of party officers have expired.”

Answering questions on the existing crisis in the party, Muhammed stated: “I said the issues have been resolved and we are looking forward to doing everything within the constitutional provision of the party. So, we are not here to discuss about change of leadership. But certainly, the public is free to permutate, of course, NEC will decide on some of these issues.”

This is just as the North Central zone of the party insisted that the region must produce the next national chairman of the party following the removal of the former chairman, Iyorchia Ayu from office.

The PDP North Central leaders claimed that there are plots to sidestep the PDP Constitution and perpetuate the acting national chairman, Iliya Umar Damagum, who is from Northeast, in office, when the position of the National Chairman was already zoned to the North Central.

They rose from a meeting yesterday directing the party’s Zonal Vice Chairman (North Central), Theophilus Dakkas Shan, to transmit the position of the zone to the National Working Committee (NWC) ahead of the NEC meeting.

A motion to that effect, which was moved by Senator Tunde Ogbeha, was widely supported without dissent as the North Central zone is said to have perfected arrangement to name Ayu’s successor for necessary inauguration at the NEC meeting.

They restated their position that Damagum should immediately revert to his position as the Deputy National Chairman (North) in the interest of the stability of the party.

Earlier, the suspended national chairman, Ayu withdrew a lawsuit challenging his removal from the party’s leadership to pave the way for the former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, to replace him as the party’s substantive chairman.

The lawsuit is believed to have impeded the PDP from having a substantive national chairman since 2023 when a High Court sitting in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, stopped Ayu from parading himself as the party’s leader.

In a notice of withdrawal of appeal tagged CA/MK/88/2024 SUIT NO: MHC/85/2023 dated April 15, made available to newsmen on Wednesday, the Court of Appeal of Nigeria in Makurdi, revealed that Ayu has withdrawn the appeal against the respondents filed on June 27, 2023. The lawsuit was between Ayu (appellant) and Terhide Utaan and the PDP as the respondent.

Sixty PDP House of Representatives members under the aegis of the opposition lawmakers’ coalition have applauded Ayu over the withdrawal of the suit. Spokesperson of the group, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, who spoke to reporters at the National Assembly complex in Abuja described the decision as a welcome development for the party.

The lawmakers described the sacrifice made by Ayu over the withdrawal of his suit as a sacrifice worth emulating by members of the party.

The lawmaker representing Ideato North/South federal constituency of Imo State argued that the development has now paved the way for both the PDP NWC and the NEC to replace Damagun with any eligible chairmanship aspirant from the North Central geo-political zone of the country.

“We the opposition lawmakers coalition – the G-60 opposition lawmakers received the news with so much excitement and this has also brought to rest the argument why we should not have an acting chairman tomorrow,” he said.

But in a dramatic twist to today’s NEC meeting, a vote of confidence was yesterday passed on Damagum by the NWC.

Damagum’s continued stay as acting chairman has attracted serious opposition from many leaders and members of the party loyal to the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar. However, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike and his loyalists are insisting that Damagum be allowed to continue in office till a national convention is held in 2025 to elect a new national chairman.

A statement issued on Wednesday by the national publicity secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, revealed that “the decision of the NWC which came at the end of its 584th meeting is in commendation of the efforts and commitment of the acting national chairman to stabilise and reposition the PDP as the main opposition party in Nigeria.”

The Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, presided over the motion for a Vote of Confidence on the Acting National Chairman, which was moved by the National Vice Chairman (Southeast), Ali Odefa, and seconded by the National Treasurer, Yayari Mohammed.

The NWC assured of its commitment to ensuring the continued stability, growth and success of the party at all times.

Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has advised the NWC to be courageous enough to set up a disciplinary committee to investigate the anti-party activities, particularly the roles played by some members, which led to the failure of the PDP in the 2023 elections.

This was as he observed that the inordinate ambition of Atiku and Wike to be president of the country, will kill the PDP.

Clark pointed out that the duo seems to prefer to use their funds to establish their leadership, not because of their love for the party. He, therefore, in a clarion call urged the stakeholders of the party to wake up and stand their ground against the onslaught.

The leader of the Ijaw nation also admonished the NWC to appoint an Acting National Chairman under the constitution of the party.

“This was what happened during the tenure of Uche Secondus, who was still in court when the party appointed another Acting National Chairman. The party should immediately revisit the online registration of its members as it was initiated by the then National Chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, to save the party from depending on individuals, because as they say, he who pays the piper, dictates the tune.”

“It is true that for some time the party had no funds, particularly the time between Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff. Wike was the only governor who financially supported the party.  Again, in his usual manner, he insulted and humiliated the party. He dared them not to hold the party convention in Port Harcourt. The party kowtowed to him.

“Even after that, he continued to harass and intimidate the party. For instance, he sponsored Uche Secondus to be the national chairman of the party against the wishes of most other members. The same Wike later instigated and sponsored the removal of Secondus, two months before the party’s National Convention.

“Wike’s engagement in brash politics seems to be affecting members of the party including the party’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Iliya Damagum and the National Secretary, who take instructions from him.”

Also, former National Chairman of the party, Secondus, has cautioned the party’s leadership against falling for Wike’s gimmicks. Secondus’ caution was contained in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Ike Abonyi, on Wednesday.

Secondus said “the former Rivers governor’s busy-bodying gimmicks should not distract leaders from taking steps that would strengthen the PDP.

“I expect the founding fathers and other dedicated members to rise to the challenge and return this great party to its glory by ensuring as they always do at critical moments that nobody or group is greater or bigger than this party.”

Secondus also charged PDP leaders not to fall into Wike’s trick by giving him undeserved relevance, which he no longer possesses.