On this piece, Muhammed Lawal examines the delicate reconciliation efforts inside the Peoples Democratic Get together and explores the potential impression these inner dynamics may have on the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election, particularly at a time when the celebration’s unity hangs within the steadiness
The sixteenth President of america, Abraham Lincoln, stated a home divided in opposition to itself is destined to crumble. Latest developments within the opposition Peoples Democratic Get together have bolstered the validity of this aphorism.
The strife within the celebration, now focused at its embattled appearing Nationwide Chairman, Umar Damagum, mirrors the dramatic twists surrounding the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Damagum, who beforehand served because the PDP Nationwide Deputy Chairman (North), assumed the position of appearing Nationwide Chairman after a court-ordered suspension of the celebration’s former Nationwide Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, in March 2023.
Like a few of his predecessors, Damagum has survived a number of makes an attempt to unseat him. Within the lead-up to the April 18, 2024 Nationwide Govt Committee assembly, discussions about whether or not Damagum ought to retain his place or get replaced grew to become a central difficulty amongst celebration officers.
Rift begins
The dissent escalated when some PDP members criticised Damagum for failing to implement obligatory reforms. The state of affairs reached a boiling level when 60 members of the Home of Representatives known as for his resignation, demanding a brand new chairman from the North Central area.
In response, the Home minority caucus, led by Kingsley Chinda, distanced itself from this faction, declaring it unrecognised inside parliament. This division was evident throughout a latest gathering of the PDP caucus, the place lawmakers had been sharply divided between these supporting Damagum and people opposing his continued tenure.
Consequently, the first goal of the pre-NEC assembly—to endorse Damagum with a vote of confidence by lawmakers aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike—encountered obstacles and didn’t proceed as deliberate.
In an announcement by its Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP Nationwide Working Committee praised the dedication and efforts of the appearing Nationwide Chairman in stabilising and revitalising the PDP as Nigeria’s most important opposition celebration.
Elimination plots
Pressure, nonetheless, heightened in June when the PDP filed a counter movement to the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja’s order, which had prevented it from eradicating Damagum.
This got here after the courtroom, on Might 3, issued an injunction barring the celebration from appointing, choosing, or nominating anybody to interchange him till the movement on discover was heard and determined.
In response, the PDP’s Nationwide Authorized Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), revealed in an interview that the celebration had filed a countermotion.
He said, “We don’t have to enchantment as a result of the case has not been determined. What they obtained is an interim injunction, however the case might be heard on its deserves on July 1st. The celebration has filed its counter. The main level within the celebration’s counter is that we urge the courtroom to dismiss the case as a result of it’s an inner affair of the celebration.”
Because the NEC assembly of the PDP, scheduled for October 24, approaches celebration members, particularly from the North Central area, have continued pushing for Damagum’s substitute, insisting that his successor should come from their zone.
They cited Part 47(6) of the PDP’s structure, which stipulates that if a emptiness arises in any celebration workplace, the manager committee should appoint somebody from the identical area because the departing officer to finish the time period.
A disagreement arose between two outstanding PDP members over which zone ought to produce Damagum’s substitute. Segun Showunmi, a 2023 governorship aspirant in Ogun State, disagreed with the celebration’s former Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on the matter.
Whereas Ologbondiyan argued that the substitute ought to come from the North Central, Showunmi insisted the place was not unique to the zone.
In the meantime, North-East governors inside the PDP endorsed Damagum to stay in workplace till the tenure of the ousted former Nationwide Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, formally expires.
Nevertheless, the North Central management started searching for a substitute for him forward of the 99th NEC assembly.
Including to the interior discord, PDP stalwart, Dino Melaye, accused Damagum; Nationwide Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, and the Nationwide Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, of ruining the celebration.
In a scathing assertion, Melaye wrote, “Finish of the street for PDP as Damagum, Bature, and Anyanwu irredeemably destroyed the celebration. We are going to discuss in regards to the commercialisation and privatisation of PDP. PDP is now as soon as upon a time.”
Damagum unshaken
In response to the continued pressures, the appearing nationwide chairman, confidently asserted that nobody may pressure him to step down from his place.
He stated, “Let me ship a message to everybody speaking about Damagum this, Damagum that – I can’t be intimidated. The extra you point out me, the extra widespread I change into.”
He maintained that the criticisms had boosted his profile, and he was even considering working for the presidency.
As tensions escalated inside the celebration, Damagum postponed the Nationwide Working Committee assembly in September, amid rising friction between Wike and the PDP Governors’ Discussion board over the standing of the Rivers State Get together congresses.
This stress has been exacerbated by the continued political battle between Wike and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The PDP governors have taken a transparent stance, supporting Fubara and insisting that, because the sitting governor, he ought to be recognised because the chief of the celebration within the state.
The governors’ place angered Wike, who warned them to remain out of Rivers State affairs, threatening to “put fireplace” of their states in the event that they intervened.
In response, the governors condemned Wike’s menace, labelling it irresponsible, and reiterated that their stance remained unchanged, reminding him that in his tenure as Rivers governor, he was equally recognised because the state’s celebration chief.
Govs divided
The celebration’s inner disaster deepened when 13 PDP state governors met to debate the emergence of a factional PDP Nationwide Chairman, Alhaji Yayari Mohammed, and the rising requires Damagum’s removing.
This transfer has divided the governors, with the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Discussion board and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, main six others within the push to oust Damagum, who’s seen as Wike’s ally.
These governors are Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), and Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom).
On the opposing facet, 4 governors, led by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, aligned with Wike, resisting Damagum’s removing.
This group consists of Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), and Agbu Kefas (Taraba). In the meantime, two governors—Peter Mbah of Enugu and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara—have remained impartial.
Ondo election truce
The celebration has begun reconciliation efforts, which some view as extra of a tactical manoeuvre than a honest truce, with the first purpose of securing victory within the upcoming Ondo State governorship election.
Recall that the PDP misplaced to the APC within the September 21 Edo State governorship election. The celebration is believed to have moved to resolve the conflicting points inside the celebration for a greater consequence within the Ondo State ballot.
Sequel to this, the Chairman of the PDP Governors Discussion board, Mohammed, introduced that the interior conflicts had been resolved. The Bauchi State governor, whereas corroborating this declare, reassured that there was not a faction inside the PDP Nationwide Working Committee, noting that operations had returned to regular beneath Damagum till the governors and different celebration our bodies met to deal with all excellent points.
He said, “I need to inform you, on behalf of the PDP Governors Discussion board, Chairman of the Senate Caucus, and the consultant of the BoT, that we had a household assembly and want to reaffirm that there is no such thing as a faction within the PDP. All these suspensions that you simply heard about – the governors, the NWC, the Caucus of the Nationwide Meeting, and the BoT – have resolved every part. There isn’t a faction, and every part has reverted to the established order beneath the appearing Chairman Damagum, pending the time when the governors and different organs of the celebration will sit down and resolve all the problems.”
Stakeholders react
Talking on the matter, the Lagos State PDP Vice Chairman, Tai Benedict, stated the celebration had been dealing with a whole lot of issues beneath the appearing nationwide chairman. He added that if the conflicts may very well be resolved by October 24, it might profit the celebration.
Benedict harassed that if Damagum resigned, it might be good for his future.
“It’s not going to be as simple, as we’re pondering. We’ve a whole lot of issues at stake. This disaster have to be resolved. We’re having a governorship election in Ondo State. On the finish of the day, if this difficulty isn’t resolved, it’ll be an issue. Additionally, subsequent 12 months, we will be having zonal elections, and this difficulty will have an effect on that too,” he defined.
He added that PDP governors had been in Ondo State for days to flag off the marketing campaign, in contrast to in Edo, the place a few of them didn’t attend.
Benedict said that the Edo State governor was not on good phrases with the FCT minister.
“We will’t discuss PDP at the moment and depart Wike out of it. Wike has been the one controlling PDP since 2015, or thereabouts. I need to give him credit score for that, however that doesn’t imply he ought to be God. He has remodeled himself into God, which is why we have now been having issues within the PDP lately. I imagine that if Damagum is ultimately eliminated or resigns voluntarily, it will likely be the start of a great factor for the PDP. I do know that Damagum is being utilized by Wike,” he said.
Additionally sharing his ideas, the Abia State PDP Vice Chairman and Performing Publicity Secretary, Abraham Amah, famous that the problems within the celebration had been being resolved. He said that the nationwide chairman was in his workplace doing his work, and all different officers of the celebration had been doing theirs, including that they had been working collectively on the Ondo State election and different nationwide coverage issues.
He stated, “The PDP has a structure; we don’t act arbitrarily. We’re guided by that structure and likewise by the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We had a md who was elected in the course of the celebration congress, within the particular person of Iyorchia Ayu, and when he had an issue that made him step down, we regarded on the structure, and that was how Damagum got here in. There isn’t a want for Damagum to resign. Those that don’t need Damagum ought to wait till the following congress. There isn’t a foundation for him to resign.”
He additional said that the difficulty regarding Rivers State was not one thing that anyone may deal with individually.
Amah added, “The one physique that has the ability to cope with that difficulty is the Nationwide Working Committee and the Nationwide Govt Committee of the PDP. It is just at that time that each side of the story might be heard fully.
“The celebration can resolve problems with this nature. As time goes by, we can overcome the Wike and Damagum points and transfer on to face the challenges of the 2027 Basic Elections. We’re doing every part potential to verify we win the Ondo State election.”