Wike vs Atiku: Newly-Elected State Chairmen Back Damagum As Call for His Sack Intensifies
- The PDP state chairmen met with acting national chairman, Umar Ilyas Damagum, on Wednesday to reaffirm their support for his leadership
- Damagum received strong backing from the state chairmen during the meeting in Abuja as calls for his sack intensified ahead of the crucial NEC meeting scheduled for November 28
- The drama in the PDP worsened in recent weeks as the camps of Nyesom Wike and Atiku Abubakar battled to decide if Damagum would remain as PDP chairman or replaced
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
FCT, Abuja - The acting national chairman, Ambassador Umar Ilyas Damagum, chaired a crucial meeting with PDP state chairmen from across the 36 states on Wednesday, November 20, in Abuja.
Source: Facebook
Damagum gets backing of new state chairmen
Damagum's meeting came on the heels of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) prepares for its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on November 28, 2024,
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During the meeting on Wednesday, held at the party’s national headquarters in Wadata Plaza, Damagum and the state chairmen dismissed claims of internal tension or threats to his leadership.
In separate interviews, the chairmen, who also serve as members of the NEC under the PDP constitution, expressed unanimous support for Damagum.
Despite calls from some party members, including National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan, for Damagum’s replacement over alleged poor leadership and recent electoral defeats in Edo and Ondo states, the state chairmen maintained there was no cause for concern.
Damagum dismisses claims of internal leadership crisis
As reported by The Nation, Damagum, described the meeting as a routine familiarisation visit, contrary to the speculation of discord circulating on social media.
The state chairmen echoed his sentiments, emphasising their collective resolve to maintain unity ahead of the NEC meeting.
Newly elected state chairmen of the PDP, along with incumbent chairmen from all thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory, convened with members of the PDP National Executive Council (NEC) led by Ambassador Damagum.
Damagum stressed that the state chairmen’s visit was primarily a familiarisation tour, rather than the conflict and threats being circulated on social media.
Damagum said:
“My state chairmen are my commander in the States, this is not an unusual meeting, we’ve had this kind of meeting before; this is not the first time and for the records, I want to make it very clear that this meeting was to interact with the state chairmen.
“Issues of NEC are entirely within the purview of NWC and the chairman, so we are not calling the chairmen here to maybe insinuate anything; so, just for the records, it is a normal interactive session to welcome the new chairmen that have just joined us and also to know ourselves and to further discuss the on-going plans for Zonal Congresses.”
Damagum's fate: Wike, Atiku battle
Legit.ng recall that Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister and the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are in a long-drawn battle for the PDP Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, to remain in office.
A decision by a Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the NEC and the party’s Board of Trustees from removing Damagum from office has further complicated matters.
Read more about Damagum, PDP crisis here:
- PDP crisis: Damagum makes moves to retain position as NWC, state chairmen meet in Abuja
- PDP crisis: “Let me tell you the problem," Wike opens up on party's troubles
- Wike vs Atiku: PDP crisis deepens as fresh moves to sack Damagum begin
Primate Ayodele proffers solution to PDP’s problem
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, revealed the major problem rocking the PDP.
Primate Ayodele said the main opposition party, the PDP is under a spell that needs to be cleansed spiritually.
The popular man of God said the spell will continue to make the PDP unstable till it can no longer win any kind of election.
Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng
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