Tension Builds as PDP Acting Chairman Umar Damagum Meets with State Chairmen
The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) national secretariat in Abuja was the venue for a high-stakes meeting between Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum and state chairmen from across the country, just days ahead of the party’s crucial National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
However, Damagum sought to quell growing speculation before the meeting, denying reports that the gathering was an attempt to sway state chairmen into supporting his ongoing tenure as acting national chairman.
Fresh concerns have been surrounding the party’s leadership after Damagum’s stay as acting national chairman led up to the NEC meeting, scheduled for November 28, which is set to make a decision on the party’s leadership.
Still, Damagum maintains that the meeting was merely an opportunity for him to interact with the state chairmen, a routine and innocuous affair.
“This isn’t an unusual meeting. We’ve had these conversations before,” he said, emphasizing that the gathering would allow him to get acquainted with the new state chairmen and discuss pressing party matters, such as zonal congresses.
Damagum stressed that the meeting wasn’t related to the upcoming NEC meeting or any alleged attempt to influence the election’s outcome. He specifically noted that issues surrounding the NEC meeting fell within the purview of the National Working Committee (NWC) and its chairman, stating that the meeting served only to foster unity and cooperation among the state chairmen.
Imo State PDP Chairman Austin Nwachukwu, also the interim chairman of the PDP Chairmen’s Forum, echoed Damagum’s sentiments, characterizing the meeting as a “familiarisation exercise” aimed at uniting the newly elected state chairmen.
“The NWC wanted to bring us all together in Abuja to familiarise ourselves with each other,” Nwachukwu explained, noting that more than half of the state chairmen in attendance were newly elected and that the meeting was essential to fostering unity among them.
