The leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday escalated further as the party’s governors became divided over the fate of its acting national chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum.
Governors Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa and Seyi Makinde of Oyo appear to have taken positions contrary to those of Senator Bala Mohammed, the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum.
Bala Mohammed had earlier indicated that the forum was considering the return of the national chairmanship to the North-Central, describing the current leadership arrangement in the North-East as unconstitutional, a decision now supported by Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke.
“My brother from the North-East is currently acting as the national chairman, which is a constitutional anomaly. According to our Constitution, any vacancy in a leadership position should be filled by the region from which it was originally created,” Bala said on Tuesday.
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The Bauchi State governor explained that the North-Central region had been expecting the position and hinted that the forum was working with the chairman, the National Working Committee (NWC), and the broader party structure to return the chairmanship to the North-Central.
“We have discussed the issue and will work to ensure that the North-Central is given the opportunity to assume this responsibility,” he stated.
However, Governor Fintiri of Adamawa, in a sharp contrast to Bala’s stance, declared his strong support for Damagum’s leadership.
Speaking on Thursday, Fintiri noted that the North-East zone, which includes Bauchi, supports Damagum remaining as acting national chairman.
He referenced a recent Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that restrains the NWC, Board of Trustees (BoT), National Executive Committee (NEC), PDP, INEC, and any affiliated bodies from removing, replacing, or nominating a new chairman outside of Damagum.
“The court’s ruling is clear, and we must respect it for the sake of our party and democracy,” Fintiri stated in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou.
The Adamawa governor further praised Damagum’s leadership for rebuilding public confidence in the PDP following the party’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election, and he endorsed him to complete the tenure of the former chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
Fintiri also emphasised that the North-East, having delivered strong results for the PDP in the 2023 elections, deserves the national chairmanship more than other regions. The zone includes Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Borno, and Yobe states, and Fintiri argued that their performance in the polls strengthens their claim to the chairmanship.
Efforts to get a comment from Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communications, Honourable Emmanuel Bello, went unanswered.
A day earlier, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, had also declared his full support for the NWC under Damagum’s leadership, underscoring the growing division within the PDP Governors’ Forum over the party’s leadership crisis.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the upgrade of Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan on Wednesday, Makinde reaffirmed his backing for Damagum and the NWC’s efforts to strengthen the PDP ahead of future elections.
Makinde noted that, while internal disagreements are inevitable in any political party, the focus should remain on unity as the party prepares for critical elections, including the upcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State.
Addressing his absence from the PDP’s campaign finale in Benin, Makinde explained that he had pre-arranged official engagements in Finland and Sweden, which prevented him from attending the event. However, he voiced his strong support for the PDP’s Edo gubernatorial candidate, Asue Ighodalo, and urged voters in the state to rally behind the party.
Observers have suggested that Makinde’s public support for Damagum’s NWC may be a subtle counter to the position taken by Bala Mohammed.
However, the situation became more complicated when Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, on Thursday, aligned himself with Bala Mohammed’s call to return the chairmanship to the North-Central.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke stressed that he stands by the PDP Constitution, which outlines the procedures for filling leadership vacancies.
“I stand by the Constitution of our great party, which clearly spells out the succession procedure in case of the exit of an elected chairman,” the Osun governor stated.
Adeleke, who is also a key member of the PDP Governors’ Forum, expressed his full commitment to the forum’s resolutions and urged the party to strictly adhere to its Constitution to foster internal democracy and build a responsible political organisation.
Meanwhile, Damagum, in an earlier exclusive interview with Weekend Trust (a sister publication of Daily Trust), had argued that the PDP Constitution does not mandate that the chairmanship remain in the North-Central region.
He explained that the party’s rules allow for some flexibility in leadership positions and pointed out that the deputy chairman from the North could naturally assume the chairmanship if it were vacated.
As the party’s NEC meeting approaches, scheduled for October 24, the internal divisions have deepened. Damagum’s NWC is perceived by some as being accommodating to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who has been at odds with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This perceived alliance between Damagum and Wike and the position taken by the Bala Mohammed-led governor’s forum have further inflamed tensions among the party’s governors, particularly with Makinde, who is considered a close ally of Wike.
BoT engages National Assembly caucus
In a related development, the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT) held a closed-door meeting with the party’s National Assembly caucus in Abuja on Thursday. The meeting, held at the PDP’s Legacy House office in Maitama, was said to be part of the BoT’s ongoing efforts to resolve the party’s leadership crisis.
Led by BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara, the meeting was attended by key party leaders, including BoT Secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Lere Oyewumi, and House of Representatives Minority Whip, Honourable Ali Isa JC.
Sources indicated that discussions at the meeting focused on several key issues, including the fallout from Wike’s loss in the 2023 PDP presidential primary, his continued feud with Governor Fubara of Rivers State, and the controversy surrounding Damagum’s tenure.
Prior to the meeting with the National Assembly caucus, the BoT had also met with Governor Fubara, FCT Minister Wike, and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, all of whom have played central roles in the current internal crisis.
While none of the parties involved in the latest meeting with the National Assembly caucus offered comments to journalists afterward, sources suggest that the upcoming NEC meeting could prove decisive for the PDP’s future, with many describing it as a “make-or-break” moment for the party.
The NWC had rescheduled the NEC meeting, originally set for September 26 to October 24, explaining that the party needed to finalise congresses in various states before presenting complete reports to the NEC. This decision followed the conclusion of the party’s ward, local government, and state congresses.
With the divisions deepening, the NEC meeting is expected to be a crucial turning point for the PDP’s internal stability and future leadership.
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