·October 24 NEC meeting threatened
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is posing a threat to the party's National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled to hold on October 24, Sunday Vanguard has learnt.
While stakeholders are seeking an amicable solution to the party's challenges, the resort to litigation by some leaders "is complicating matters," said a party insider.
The 99th NEC meeting, scheduled to hold on October 24, maybe in jeopardy as the party's leadership, which was one of many contentious issues expected to be discussed and resolved, has been put on hold by the court judgment restraining NEC and the BoT, from removing the party's Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum.
A high-ranking member of the party's NEC, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media on the issue, said, "The whole essence of shifting the NEC from its original date of August 15 has come to light.
"It was all a gimmick by the Nyesom Wike-led G-5 to buy time for Damagum. They needed to shift the time to give room for last Friday's judgment which in essence says; neither the NEC nor the BoT should you discuss let alone contemplate removing Damagum from his position as Acting National Chairman until December, next year," he said.
"Don't forget, that is when the tenure of the former National Chairman, Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu, would have lapsed if he was not forced to step aside."
However, the North-Central Zone of the party is insisting that relevant Sections of the PDP Constitution were clear on how a national officer should be replaced if a previous holder is incapacitated, removed or resigns.
A former National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, who is from the zone, said they remained resolute and would not give up what rightly belongs to them.
According to him, Section 47(6) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as Amended), was clear on this issue.
He explained that Dr Iyiorchia Ayu, who was the substantive National Chairman, left office before the expiration of his term and that the right thing to do was for his zone to produce his successor to complete his tenure.
Ologbondiyan said, "It is common knowledge that party members and stakeholders across the six geo-political zones of the country particularly the States of the North East, that includes: Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe, Adamawa and Borno States, are in support of naming a successor from the North Central to replace Sen. Ayu, and the zone is already fine-tuning its processes to achieve that purpose. "
Already, an aspirant for the position who hails from the same zone as Ayu, Conrad Utaan, has made his intentions about replacing his kinsman known.
He said, "There's so much confusion in our party (now). The APC, as much as we hate to take it, may just stroll into another term. If the PDP continues this way, that is the reason we are in this by the way, this term ends in November 2025,
" I'm not running to be chairman for four years. I'm running to complete the term of the North-Central, the term of Benue, the term of Benue North-West Senatorial District, even if it's for two days, it belongs to the North-Central. It belongs to Benue. It belongs to zone B of Benue. It's ours, even if it's for two days."
The Damagum-led NWC enjoys the unwavering support of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, and his four former governor-colleagues.
The pro-Wike tendency in the party is currently celebrating two court victories.
The first being the judgment given against his former ally turned adversary, the Rivers State Governor, Siminalaye Fubara, and the recent judgement barring the PDP NEC and BoT from removing Damagum.
Supporters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who have not hidden their desire to have Damagum replaced, are licking their wounds and have returned to the drawing table to re-strategise.
Recall that when the party's NEC held its last meeting on April 19, 2024, it said the issue of whether or not Damagum would continue in his position or revert to his original post as Deputy National Chairman (North) will be decided in August when the NEC was supposed to meet.
Specifically, the now-suspended PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who addressed the press soon after the NEC meeting in April, said, "Our party emphasises the need for reconciliation and stability within the party at this time. "Therefore, the issue of the National Chairman, Damagum, has been deferred to the next NEC meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for August 15."
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However, this was not to be as the Damagum-led PDP National Working Committee (NWC), postponed the NEC meeting from August 15, to September 26, citing the need by some members to attend the annual pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
As September 26 drew near, the 99th PDP NEC meeting, initially scheduled for August to discuss issues including a possible replacement for Damagum, the party leadership again announced another postponement, citing outstanding Congresses in eight states.
In an internal document dated September 16, 2024, the party's National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, explained that the NEC meeting has again been shifted to October 24, to ensure that the congress reports from eight states were complete and could be presented to the NEC as required.
This was before the latest crisis which has its roots in the handling of the crisis in Rivers State unraveled.
