On this piece, Muhammed Lawal examines the delicate reconciliation efforts throughout the Peoples Democratic Celebration and explores the potential influence these inner dynamics may have on the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election, particularly at a time when the social gathering’s unity hangs within the stability
The sixteenth President of the USA, Abraham Lincoln, mentioned a home divided in opposition to itself is destined to crumble. Current developments within the opposition Peoples Democratic Celebration have bolstered the validity of this aphorism.
The strife within the social gathering, 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 social gathering’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 turned a central concern amongst social gathering officers.
Rift begins
The dissent escalated when some PDP members criticised Damagum for failing to implement mandatory reforms. The scenario reached a boiling level when 60 members of the Home of Representatives referred to 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 have been sharply divided between these supporting Damagum and people opposing his continued tenure.
In consequence, 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 a press release 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 primary opposition social gathering.
Elimination plots
Stress, 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 court docket, on Could 3, issued an injunction barring the social gathering from appointing, choosing, or nominating anybody to exchange 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 social gathering had filed a countermotion.
He acknowledged, “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 shall be heard on its deserves on July 1st. The social gathering has filed its counter. The main level within the social gathering’s counter is that we urge the court docket to dismiss the case as a result of it’s an inner affair of the social gathering.”
Because the NEC assembly of the PDP, scheduled for October 24, approaches social gathering members, particularly from the North Central area, have continued pushing for Damagum’s alternative, 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 social gathering workplace, the chief committee should appoint somebody from the identical area because the departing officer to finish the time period.
A disagreement arose between two distinguished PDP members over which zone ought to produce Damagum’s alternative. Segun Showunmi, a 2023 governorship aspirant in Ogun State, disagreed with the social gathering’s former Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on the matter.
Whereas Ologbondiyan argued that the alternative ought to come from the North Central, Showunmi insisted the place was not unique to the zone.
In the meantime, North-East governors throughout the PDP endorsed Damagum to stay in workplace till the tenure of the ousted former Nationwide Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, formally expires.
Nonetheless, the North Central management started in search of a alternative 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 social gathering.
In a scathing assertion, Melaye wrote, “Finish of the street for PDP as Damagum, Bature, and Anyanwu irredeemably destroyed the social gathering. We’ll speak 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 mentioned, “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 in style I change into.”
He maintained that the criticisms had boosted his profile, and he was even considering working for the presidency.
As tensions escalated throughout the social gathering, 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 Celebration congresses.
This pressure 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 must be recognised because the chief of the social gathering 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 social gathering chief.
Govs divided
The social gathering’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 social gathering has begun reconciliation efforts, which some view as extra of a tactical manoeuvre than a honest truce, with the first aim 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 social gathering is believed to have moved to resolve the conflicting points throughout the social gathering for a greater end result 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 throughout the PDP Nationwide Working Committee, noting that operations had returned to regular beneath Damagum till the governors and different social gathering our bodies met to handle all excellent points.
He acknowledged, “I wish 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 isn’t 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 little thing. There is no such thing as a faction, and every little thing has reverted to the established order beneath the appearing Chairman Damagum, pending the time when the governors and different organs of the social gathering will sit down and resolve all the problems.”
Stakeholders react
Talking on the matter, the Lagos State PDP Vice Chairman, Tai Benedict, mentioned the social gathering had been dealing with lots of issues beneath the appearing nationwide chairman. He added that if the conflicts might be resolved by October 24, it could profit the social gathering.
Benedict pressured that if Damagum resigned, it could be good for his future.
“It’s not going to be as simple, as we’re pondering. We’ve lots of issues at stake. This disaster should be resolved. We’re having a governorship election in Ondo State. On the finish of the day, if this concern shouldn’t be resolved, it will be an issue. Additionally, subsequent yr, we will be having zonal elections, and this concern 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, not like in Edo, the place a few of them didn’t attend.
Benedict acknowledged that the Edo State governor was not on good phrases with the FCT minister.
“We are able to’t discuss PDP at the moment and go away Wike out of it. Wike has been the one controlling PDP since 2015, or thereabouts. I wish to give him credit score for that, however that doesn’t imply he must be God. He has remodeled himself into God, which is why we now have been having issues within the PDP in recent times. I imagine that if Damagum is ultimately eliminated or resigns voluntarily, will probably be the start of a superb factor for the PDP. I do know that Damagum is being utilized by Wike,” he acknowledged.
Additionally sharing his ideas, the Abia State PDP Vice Chairman and Appearing Publicity Secretary, Abraham Amah, famous that the problems within the social gathering have been being resolved. He acknowledged that the nationwide chairman was in his workplace doing his work, and all different officers of the social gathering have been doing theirs, including that they have been working collectively on the Ondo State election and different nationwide coverage issues.
He mentioned, “The PDP has a structure; we don’t act arbitrarily. We’re guided by that structure and in addition by the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We had a boss who was elected throughout the social gathering congress, within the particular person of Iyorchia Ayu, and when he had an issue that made him step down, we seemed on the structure, and that was how Damagum got here in. There is no such thing as a want for Damagum to resign. Those that don’t need Damagum ought to wait till the following congress. There is no such thing as a foundation for him to resign.”
He additional acknowledged that the difficulty regarding Rivers State was not one thing that anyone may deal with individually.
Amah added, “The one physique that has the facility to cope with that concern is the Nationwide Working Committee and the Nationwide Govt Committee of the PDP. It’s only at that time that either side of the story shall be heard utterly.
“The social gathering can resolve problems with this nature. As time goes by, we will overcome the Wike and Damagum points and transfer on to face the challenges of the 2027 Common Elections. We’re doing every little thing potential to verify we win the Ondo State election.”
