PDP Loyalists of Atiku Abubakar Revive Efforts to Replace Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum
A new development has emerged in the ongoing power struggle within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as some members of the party and loyalists of the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, have renewed their bid to remove the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
The latest move is part of a strategy to capitalize on a string of court victories in the factional dispute, with the next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 28, which is seen as an opportunity to limit Damagum’s tenure in office.
The attempt to replace Damagum has been stalled since the resignation of the former National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, and the subsequent nomination of a new candidate from the North-Central region.
In a significant twist, a Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the NEC and the party’s Board of Trustees from removing Damagum from office, complicating the situation further.
A source within the party’s NEC revealed that a team of lawyers, including two prominent Senior Advocates of Nigeria, is being assembled to appeal the court order and overturn the decision.
The source also accused Damagum of refusing to convene the NEC meeting, allegedly to maintain his position as acting chairman.
According to the source, “It’s unfair for the Wike camp to celebrate the latest date shift for the NEC meeting. We have a pending appeal and will ensure that the court order is overturned.”
The source referenced the party’s 98th NEC meeting, held on April 18, which resolved that the National Working Committee (NWC) should conduct congresses in states where executive council members’ tenures have lapsed and prepare for a replacement for Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
However, Damagum, who is also the Deputy National Chairman (North), has instead opted to resort to court action, seeking to restrain the board of trustees and NEC from removing him from office.
Critics have questioned Damagum’s motives, saying, “How can someone who claims to have the party’s best interests at heart go to court to tie our hands and remove one of the main agenda items from our NEC meeting?”
The source concluded, “We have a message for him: we cannot have an acting chairman in perpetuity; the judgement will be appealed and vacated.”
