The leadership crisis currently rocking 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 one month.
The faction, led by the party’s National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, told newsmen 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, National Youth Leader, Sulaiman Kadade, and the Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Damagum-led NWC had earlier on Saturday suspended Anyanwu and three others for one month 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, few hours later, Anyanwu told newsmen that they heard through the social media that Damagum and his group had suspended the some key national officers for one month.
He said that he had earlier issued an invitation letters to the NWC members for an emergency meeting at his personal office in Wuye, but the other group decided to go to Legacy House, the party secretariat, for its planned national convention.
Anyanwu commended the judiciary over the Friday court ruling, which he described as victory for the entire PDP members and judgment against impunity and illegality.
He said that the PDP leadership could not overlook the activities of some members of NWC causing disaffection within the party.
Anyanwu said that the disaffection had made most of PDP leaders and governors to leave the party in droves, saying it was time to arrest such 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 said that the former National Vice-Chairman (South-East), who had earlier been expelled by the party and confirmed in the Friday court judgment, still continued to participate in party functions and 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 of 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, sale of forms meant for our congresses, which were bought, having been paid in two different accounts, which were being controlled by his office.
“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 is supposed to be his deputy, was also suspended for one month for alleged illegal assumption of the office of the national secretary signing all kinds of letters, especially to some states, thus 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 by on Saturday, urged Abdulrahman to urgently bring peace and unity to the party, saying there was no better time to have a new direction for the party 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.
