Who will save PDP from festering crisis?

The ensuing inter and intra-party wrangling plaguing the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be about to consume it. Who will save the party? KEHINDE OSASONA asks

Before now

It would be an understatement to say that the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is on a cliff. As a matter of fact, pundits in the political firmament are already looking beyond the party as one that is capable of rattling the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead the 2027 elections.

Aside the ego-fights among members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), notable gladiators like its former presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, Governor Seyi Makinde, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, Governor Siminlayi Fubara, Chief Bode George, Governor Bala Mohammed, Senator Adolphus Wabara, among others, have all at one time or another engaged in superiority fights bordering on ambition or who controls what. 

Sadly, however, almost two years after the party was defeated in the 2023 general elections, they are yet to sheathe their swords.

This medium recalls that the famed G-5 governors led by Wike held the party in the jugular as to the issue of zoning before the election, the ghost of what later played out has continue to haunt the party till today. Worst still, efforts made by the Olagunsoye Oyinlola – led reconciliatory committee to nip the crisis appears too weak to salvage anything.

As the crisis was yet to simmer, the acting national chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Damagum, who also had his own dose of the power play, was eventually saved by the court of law

A faction within the NWC, who are working with some aggrieved elements attempted to replace with Yayari Ahmed, the party’s Treasurer, as his replacement. The party National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, who was also suspended alongside the legal adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade by another NWC faction reportedly, issued a statement announcing Damagum’s suspension.

Ologunagba statement reads: “Following the suspension of His Excellency, Amb. Illiya Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Working Committee (NWC) has approved the appointment of Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed as the Acting National Chairman.

The gang up, rescue

Earlier, there was a move by some hawks not comfortable with how the party is being run to force a leadership change ahead of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, for them, Damagum must go but the plans also failed.

They cited among other sins of Damagum anti-party activities, the violations of the PDP constitution, particularly his handling of an appeal involving 27 former Rivers State House of Assembly members who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Not done, the aggrieved actors through Umar Maina, Maina, who serves as the PDP chairman in Yobe State also suit instituted a suit to get rid of Damagum but that was not to be as the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a restraining order barring the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP from removing Damagum as the party’s acting national chairman.

The judge in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/ CS/579/2024 barred any other person from assuming the position of national chairman before that event, affirming that Mr Damagum’s replacement must follow due process as outlined in the party’s rules.

The court ruled that Mr Damagum must retain his position until the PDP holds its next national convention, scheduled for December 2025. The judge also pointed out that Mr Damagum, hailing from the northern region, could only be replaced at the national convention or through a court order.

Just as Damagum was still recovering from the court trauma, another splinter group led by a House member representing Ideato Federal Constituency in Imo State, Ugochinyere and 59 other members started calling for his resignation.

They hinged their new call for his head to lack leadership, insisting that the PDP has not been playing the role of opposition to checkmate the ruling APC.

Ugochinyere maintained that the time has come for the acting Chairman to go, saying that governors elected on PDP platform are of the view that the party has gone moribund.

“Aside the fact that he has not held NEC meetings, since we came out from the presidential election, we are supposed to have done post-assessment of the election, find out why we performed so poorly during the election, and be able to reach out to members of the party to appreciate them.

“He has not had any relationship or meeting with lawmakers elected on the platform of the party in the parliament. People are left to keep wandering like sheep with no shepherd. There has not been any single leadership that he has provided,” Ugochinyere said.

And the Anyanwu, Udo-Okoye claims

Although the Supreme Court a few days ago had adjourned till March 10, for hearing in the appeal filed by embattled National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu in the ensuing scramble for the party secretary seat.

While upholding Chief Ude Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the main opposition party in a lead judgement delivered by Justice Ridwan Abdullahi, the Court of Appeal further stated that Anyanwu‘s appeal was incompetent and lacking in merit.

According to the appellate court, the appellant violated the PDP’s constitution by laying claim to the National Secretary position having contested and emerged as PDP candidate in the 2024 governorship election in Imo state.

Dissatisfied, Anyanwu it would be recalled had approached the apex court to set aside the judgement of the two lower courts and recognize him as the authentic National Secretary of the PDP.

Blueprint can report that at the last BoT meeting held in Abuja, Anyanwu’s supporters and that of Ude-Okoye disrupted the meeting midway when a fight as to who should be at the meeting erupted.

While Udo-Okoye insisted that he was invited by the BoT because a court of law had affirmed him. Anyanwu claimed that he had a pending stay, saying the court also pronounced that status quo must be maintained and as such he still remains the secretary.

However, while barring his mind on the endless crisis facing the party, a political commentator, Adesegun Odunyo wondered how the party got to where it is at present.

Odunyo, who maintained that the crisis is not alien to political parties, nevertheless fingered some elements in the party as the greatest culprits, saying if the party must survive, all the gladiators must dismantle their arsenals of war.

‘’This crisis coming when they are supposed to be taking stock, realigning and re-strategise ahead 2027 is not only good for the party but also dangerous. With coalition brewing here and there, the PDP might go into extinction if care is not taken, The best thing is everyone should bury their differences now in the interest of Nigeria,’’

Who will save the party?

At some point, the PDP Governors forum was seen as the only united group in a good stead to salvage the party and move on, but recent events have proven that their intervention has only succeeded in escalating the crisis.

Recall that after their Asaba meeting, they took a position via a communique on the muscle-flexing between Anyanwu and Udo-Okoye, a move described by keen followers of political events as ill-time.

Going forward, will the party bounce back after this crisis? Who will save PDP from self destruction? Many questions with no answers in sight.