PDP govs meet over party’s crisis today

• Stakeholders propose caretaker c’ttee, want NEC meeting Oct 24

• I have taken over leadership – Yayari

Governors who are members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are having an emergency meeting today sequel to the gale of suspension that hit its top officials last week.

Recall that a faction of the National Working Committee (NWC) in support of the acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, had announced the suspension of the national legal adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, and the national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, for alleged disloyalty.

But another faction of the NWC consequently announced Damagum’s suspension alongside the party’s national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for alleged anti-party activities.

Damagun had been acting national chairman since last year, after the suspension and subsequent sack of Dr Iyorchia Ayu as chairman. The party has been embroiled in internal crises since it lost federal power in 2015.

Credible sources told our correspondent that the meeting of PDP governors today would perfect measures towards ending the crisis bedeviling the party, especially, as regards the “suspension” of its top leaders.

It was gathered that the governors would also discuss the issue of who replaces Ayu as the party’s substantive national chairman, and consider the agitation by the North Central bigwigs that the region retains the position to complete Ayu’s tenure.

It was learnt that some notable bigwigs of the PDP from the North Central including a former governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam, and former Senate president, David Mark, were already warming up to fill the vacancy in substantive capacity.

Top sources also disclosed that the governors are to discuss the issues around the coming National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and the existing factions in the NWC.

Insiders have hinted that some stakeholders were proposing a caretaker committee for the party as part of efforts to end the long-standing crisis.

Meanwhile, despite the court order barring the NEC and Board of Trustees (BoT) from removing Damagum, stakeholders from the North Central are upbeat about completing Ayu’s tenure.

A member of NEC told our correspondent in confidence that the Yobe and Borno state chairmen who had filed a suit against Damagun seeking his removal were being prevailed upon to withdraw it.

He said, “The PDP governors through Bala Muhammed have told Damagum to prepare for the NEC on 24th. Damagum cannot continue; the governors are working to make sure the party does not disintegrate.

“Another scenario is either Damagum goes with all the NWC members for a caretaker committee to be put in place or be reverted to his position as deputy national chairman (North).”

Meanwhile, Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, who was appointed to lead the faction opposed to Damagum, yesterday announced that he had taken over the leadership of the party.

Yayari in a statement said NEC meeting must hold on October 24, 2024, stressing that he would make the PDP a vibrant opposition party.