The disaster rocking the Folks’s Democratic Social gathering seems removed from over, with the camp of former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, backing the embattled appearing Nationwide Chairman, Umar Damagum.
Some members of the get together alleged that the Wike faction had finalised plans to droop a few of its opponents.
A senior get together member, who spoke on situation of anonymity to Sunday PUNCH, confirmed that the camp led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory was making ready to confront these in opposition to its efforts to keep up Damagum’s place.
The supply revealed that within the coming days, Wike’s faction would take measures comparable to expulsion and suspension to neutralise members of the opposing camp, significantly these loyal to the get together’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on the state, native authorities and ward ranges.
The PUNCH had beforehand reported that 4 governors – Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), and Agbu Kefas (Taraba), are aligned with Wike in supporting Damagum.
In distinction, the PDP Governors’ Discussion board Chairman, Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara; and Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, are reportedly against Damagum persevering with in appearing capability.
Since his appointment as appearing Nationwide Chairman following Senator Iyorchia Ayu’s court-ordered elimination, Damagum has confronted criticism from get together leaders and requires his resignation have intensified.
On the PDP’s 98th Nationwide Govt Committee assembly on April 18, get together leaders permitted the creation of a reconciliation and disciplinary committee.
Additionally they determined to carry ward and state congresses and tasked the North Central caucus with consulting on discovering a substitute for Damagum.
The 99th NEC assembly of the PDP, initially scheduled for August 15, was first postponed to October 24, 2024, then rescheduled for November 28, 2024, and later suspended indefinitely.
Regardless of this, the PDP Governors Discussion board instructed the Nationwide Working Committee to convene the NEC newest February, 2025.
Former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, and the Board of Trustees of the get together additionally urged the NWC to carry the NEC in February to resolve excellent points, together with the necessity for the North Central to appoint a substitute for Damagum.
The anti-Wike/Damagum camp believes the repeated postponements are designed to safeguard the pursuits of Wike’s faction and protect his management over the get together.
Because of this, each camps have been mobilising their supporters for verbal confrontations aimed toward exposing and derailing one another’s plans.
The senior get together member instructed Sunday PUNCH that Wike’s camp focused Ikenga Ugochinyere, the consultant for Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, for his criticism of Wike and the Damagum-led NWC.
The supply claimed that Ugochinyere’s expulsion was a part of Wike’s faction’s wider technique to consolidate energy by eradicating or silencing opponents.
“There’s a deliberate plan to maneuver in opposition to get together members and even members of the general public who oppose their pursuits,” the supply mentioned, including that the Wike camp deliberate to forestall any opposition from having a voice or affect by February.
Based on sources, some NWC members have stopped attending conferences often attributable to rising disunity inside the get together.
These members are reportedly managing the state of affairs till the get together establishes a Nationwide Elective Conference planning committee subsequent yr.
Makes an attempt to achieve Damagum and the PDP Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, for commentS on the reported plan have been unsuccessful, as they didn’t reply to calls or messages.
Nonetheless, a member of the NEC and Deputy Nationwide Youth Chief, Timothy Osadolor, dismissed the claims, asserting that it was regular for people to pursue their aspirations.
“I wish to imagine that that is within the realm of hypothesis. In the end, individuals need their aspirations and beliefs to take priority.”
“So, if there are those that imagine the Damagum-led NWC is underperforming, it’s only pure, as not all PDP members are on the identical web page. Subsequently, I see no cause the Damagum-led NWC would use its place to focus on anybody. The one factor I imagine Damagum is doing is working to reconcile points and members inside the get together,” Osadolor mentioned.
In the meantime, a NEC member from the North Central and speedy previous PDP Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, acknowledged that the zone would honour the Board of Trustees by deciding on a substantive Nationwide Chairman.
In an unique interview with Sunday PUNCH, he described the temper within the zone as each calm and hopeful.
“We commend the BoT for supporting the decision for North Central to appoint a substitute who will full Ayu’s time period,” he mentioned.
Additionally, a former Nationwide Secretary of the get together, Umar Ibrahim-Tsauri, expressed confidence that the PDP would overcome its inside challenges.
“PDP is a political get together based by Nigerians for Nigerians. Whatever the present points, it’s a get together that can not be defeated by inside crises. We all the time discover a strategy to overcome them,” he acknowledged.
In a associated growth, the NWC of the PDP has rejected the reported expulsion of Ugochinyere from the get together by the Umuopia/Umukegwu Ward chapter in Imo State.
In an announcement on Saturday, the PDP, by way of its Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, declared the alleged expulsion null and void, stating that it was inconsistent with the clear provisions of the PDP Structure (as amended in 2017).
It was beforehand reported that the consultant for Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State and spokesman for the Coalition of United Political Events was expelled by the Imo PDP Publicity Secretary, Lancelot Obiak, by way of an announcement launched on Friday.
The assertion indicated that Ugochinyere’s expulsion was carried out by the PDP govt in Ideato LGA, by way of a letter dated December 5, 2024, signed by the LGA Chairman, ThankGod Okeke, and Secretary, Onyebuchi Umeh.
The expulsion was reportedly attributable to alleged gross indiscipline, insubordination, and anti-party actions.
The PDP publicity secretary emphasised that no ward, native authorities, or state chapter of the get together had the authority to droop, expel, or self-discipline a Nationwide Meeting member in any means with out following the right procedures set by the get together’s structure, which requires session with the NWC.