Metuh, Ologbondiyan criticise Damagum for disowning Ologunagba’s remark on PDP NEC meeting

Olisa Metuh, a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has criticised Umar Damagum, the acting national chairman, for distancing the national working committee (NWC) from a comment by Debo Ologunagba, the party’s spokesperson.

BACKGROUND

In May, the PDP wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its plan to hold the national executive committee (NEC) meeting at its national secretariat in Abuja on June 30.

The notice, signed solely by Damagum, was in accordance with INEC’s 21-day notification requirement for political meetings of such magnitude.

However, in a letter dated June 13 and addressed to the party’s chairman, INEC said the notice of the meeting failed to comply with its regulations.

The commission said the notice of the proposed NEC meeting ought to have been jointly signed by the party’s national chairman and secretary.

There has been a tussle within the PDP over the position of national secretary, with Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Udeh-Okoye laying claim to the seat.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Ologunagba said the party would go ahead with the NEC meeting, noting that INEC’s approval is not required for the PDP to hold the gathering.

About 24 hours later, Damagum countered Ologunagba, saying he was not authorised to speak.

The PDP acting chairman said the party’s spokesperson made the statement “prematurely and without due consultation”.

Damagum said Ologunagba has previously acted “unilaterally, disregarding the collective decision-making structures” of the party.

‘CARDINAL OFFENCE’

In a post on X on Tuesday, Metuh, a former PDP publicity secretary who left the party in 2022, described Damagum’s decision to disown Ologunagba’s statement as a “cardinal offence”.

Metuh said he has avoided partisan commentary since leaving the PDP, but recent developments in the party “bleed his heart”.

“I just read that the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagum publicly denied the press interactive session addressed by the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba. I do hope this is fake news at work. Otherwise, this is an act capable of bringing the party into great disrepute, and this is a cardinal offence against the party’s constitution,” Metuh wrote.

Metuh said Damagum’s action could lead the press to question future statements from the party’s national publicity secretary.

In a separate post on X, Kola Ologbondiyan, a former spokesperson of the PDP, described Damagum’s statement as “utter disappointment”.

“This latest action by Damagum is completely unacceptable and a major affront to the authority of NEC, the NWC and the sensibility of all PDP members,” he wrote.

“There are two cardinal offences against the spirit of the PDP from this latest action of Amb. Damagum. He has sought to torpedo a decision of the NEC and secondly brought our party to public odium.”

Ologbondiyan asked PDP leaders to immediately stem the “attempt by Damagum to destroy the PDP”.