Abuja: The leadership crisis currently rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) worsened on Saturday, as a factional National Working Committee (NWC) announced the suspension of the National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and five others for a period of one month.
The faction, led by the party’s National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, told reporters after its emergency meeting on Saturday in Abuja that the party’s National Vice-Chairman (North Central), Mohammed Abdulrahman, would act as the National Chairman.
Anyanwu also announced the suspension of the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and the National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyenguikoro.
Also suspended were the Deputy National Vice-Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja; the National Youth Leader, Sulaiman Kadade; and the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo.
The Damagum-led NWC had earlier suspended Anyanwu and three others on Saturday for a one-month period over alleged anti-party activities.
NAN also reports that Ologunagba, after the NWC’s emergency meeting, said that the party’s National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, National Organising Secretary, Umaru Bature, and Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha, were also suspended for the same alleged offence.
However, a few hours later, Anyanwu told reporters that they heard through social media that Damagum and his group had suspended some key national officers for one month.
He stated that he had previously issued an invitation letter to the NWC members for an emergency meeting at his personal office in Wuye. Still, the other group decided to convene at Legacy House, the party secretariat, for its planned national convention.
Anyanwu commended the judiciary for the Friday court ruling, which he described as a victory for all PDP members and a judgment against impunity and illegality.
He stated that the PDP leadership could not overlook the activities of some members of the NWC, which were causing disaffection within the party.
Anyanwu stated that the disaffection had led most PDP leaders and governors to leave the party in droves, suggesting it was time to address this situation and call such members to order.
“On this note, after an emergency meeting, we decided, as a party, to suspend Damagum, the national chairman of the party, for (alleged) incompetence, misappropriation of party funds, and disobedience to court judgments,” he said.
For instance, he stated that the former National Vice-Chairman (South-East), who had been earlier expelled by the party and confirmed in the Friday court judgment, continued to participate in party functions and the decision-making process.
He also noted that Ologunagba had been suspended for his continued actions without allegedly taking authorisation from the NWC.
“Thirdly, we have looked at Arapaja, deputy national chairman, South, who is supposed to have advised the national chairman on such anti-party and reckless activities, which is unwarranted for a party chairman. On that note, he is also suspended for 30 days.
“On the national financial secretary, we have discovered that in the last few months, there have been congresses, sales of forms meant for our congresses, which were bought, having been paid in two different accounts, which his office was controlling.
“On this note, he has been suspended, and we are sending him to the Disciplinary Committee, and we are also going to involve the anti-graft agencies to look into those activities,” he said.
Anyanwu also said that his NWC faction had suspended Kadade for allegedly abandoning his responsibilities to the party.
He added that the Deputy National Secretary, Koshoedo, who was supposed to be his deputy, was also suspended for one month for allegedly assuming the office of the national secretary by signing various letters, especially to some states, thereby causing disaffection in those states.
“All of them are sent to the disciplinary committee to show cause why they should not be expelled from the party.
“In the place of the National Public Secretary, we are going to ask the Director of Publicity, Mrs Chinwen Nnorom, to take over all the activities of the party in terms of information,” Anyanwu said.
He said that the Friday judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja justified the effectiveness of the suspension of the top party officers.
Meanwhile, a former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has congratulated Abdulrahman, the acting national chairman of the party.
Fayose, in a statement personally issued on Saturday, urged Abdulrahman to urgently bring peace and unity to the party, stating that there was no better time for the party to take a new direction than now.
He said that PDP was in dire need of a new direction, and that the new acting national chairman should step in immediately to provide it.
“Most importantly, he should look into the shenanigans and injustice done in states like Ekiti and others with a view to correcting them, in accordance with the party constitution and existing court pronouncements.
“He should also be a team player and ensure the emergence of a new NWC through a valid national convention.
“This should be done immediately after outstanding congresses are held in states and zones, and those done against court judgments are revisited,” Fayose said.
