Damagum-led PDP dares Wike’s camp, insists national convention will hold Nov 15

The Umar Damagum-led national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the party has not postponed its planned national convention.

A statement issued on Wednesday by Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson and secretary of the publicity and communication sub-committee of the national convention, said the event, slated for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo, will hold as planned.

Ologunagba asked party members and supporters to “disregard misleading claims” peddled by purveyors of fake news.

He alleged that those spreading the news of the convention postponement are “recruited by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in its failed attempt to stop the PDP national convention”.

“We are aware of the plots by the APC to destabilise the opposition and impose a one-party state in the country; a design that will be lawfully resisted,” Ologunagba said.

“The NCOC and the Party will continue to work assiduously round the clock to ensure a successful National Convention in Ibadan as scheduled”.

Ologunagba’s statement comes amid conflicting court rulings, both halting and permitting the conduct of the national convention.

A federal high court in Abuja had restrained the PDP from holding the elective convention.

But on November 4, a state high court in Oyo ordered the PDP and Damagum to proceed with the event.

On November 11, another judge at the federal high court in Abuja blocked the party from holding the convention.

The judge also barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising, monitoring or recognising the outcome of the convention if held.

LEADERSHIP CRISIS

The opposition party is embroiled in a new leadership crisis.

Damagum-led NCW had suspended Samuel Anyanwu, national secretary; Kamaldeen Ajibade, national legal adviser; Okechukwu Osuoha, deputy legal adviser; and Umaru Bature, national organising secretary.

In a retaliatory move, Anyanwu’s faction, which has the backing of Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), suspended Damagum, Ologunagba, Taofeek Arapaja, the deputy national vice-chairman (south); Daniel Woyenguikoro, national financial secretary; Sulaiman Kadade, national youth leader; and Setonji Koshoedo, deputy national secretary.

Anyanwu’s faction subsequently appointed Abdulrahman Mohammed as the acting national chairman, claiming that the decision was necessary to restore order and legitimacy within the party’s national leadership.

Last week, Mohammed proclaimed himself as the PDP acting national chairman at the party’s national secretariat and announced the suspension of the national convention.