PDP Crisis: Why Removing Damagum Now May Be Tough, Top Party Sources Open Up

• Umar Damagum will continue as the acting national chairman of the PDP, pending the national convention
• Legit.ng reports that the PDP national convention is the highest decision-making organ in the party
• The crisis at the PDP national level which started in 2022 has refused to abate despite several meetings

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering politics and elections in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja - Sources within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have said the injunction obtained by the Umar Damagum group may constitute a stumbling block for those agitating for his ouster.

Legit.ng recalls that in October, the federal high court, Abuja, restrained the national executive committee (NEC) and board of trustees (BoT) of Nigeria's main opposition party from removing Damagum as its acting national chairman.

Justice Peter Lifu ordered that no person other than Damagum should be recognised as PDP national chairman until the party’s national convention.

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The judge held that in line with Articles 42, 47, and 67 of PDP, it is only at the national convention of the party that national officers can be elected.

In a report by The Nation on Sunday, November 24, one of the sources, a former governor elected on the platform of the party, said the PDP as a party that often lays claim to being democratic could not afford to be seen disregarding a court order.

In the same vein, other sources stated that Damagum, who is believed to be particularly close to Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), keeps working hard to consolidate his position.

Last week, he met with newly-elected PDP state chairmen and incumbent chairmen from the 36 states and the FCT. In attendance were members of the PDP NEC.

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Erring PDP members tentatively safe

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that there are indications that the national disciplinary committee set up by the PDP may not sanction erring members before the next convention of the party.

A senior PDP member stated that the national disciplinary committee (NDC) explained that any sanction imposed by the Damagum-constituted NDC would be invalid, arguing that the party’s constitution did not recognise the committee.

Source: Legit.ng