The battle for control of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), ahead of the 2027 general elections, has shifted to the National Executive Committee ( NEC) meeting of the party scheduled for October 24.
This is coming on the heels of the intervention by the PDP Governors Forum in the crisis that broke out in the National Working Committee ( NWC) of the opposition party last week.
The PDP NWC broke into factions last Friday, following the suspension of the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade for alleged “insubordination and disloyalty”.
The NWC, under the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, had in a statement by the party’s Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, announced the suspension of Ologunagba and Ajibade and directed their deputies to step into their positions in acting capacity.
In retaliation, Ologunagba, in a statement by another faction of the NWC, announced the suspension of Damagum as acting national chairman and Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary.
He later announced the appointment of the National Treasurer, Yayari Mohammed as Damagum’s replacement.
However, the PDP -GF, in a communique, Tuesday (today, October 15), after its meetings on Monday night and Tuesday morning, said after its intervention, working in conjunction with the Board of Trustees (BoT), it was resolved that all the suspensions be quashed and NWC members return to status quo ante.
The meeting, according to the communique, was attended by the chairman of the Forum, Bala
Mohammed ( Bauchi), Siminalyi Fubara ( Rivers), Douye Diri (Bayelsa) and Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
Others were Ademola Adeleke, Dauda Lawal, Sheriff Oborevwori, Ahmadu Fintiri, Caleb Mutfwang, Peter Mbah, Governors of Osun, Zamfara, Delta, Enugu, Adamawa and Plateau States, respectively.
The communique, which was read by the Chairman of the PDP-GF, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, noted that “the organs of the party were careful in addressing issues particularly those over which there were pending legal disputes.”
“That the NWC should revert to the status quo and remain united in the interest of the party and the nation. That all suspensions issued on officials across the parties within the NWC have been lifted forthwith.
“That there are no factions in the party and minor issues should not be blown out of proportion. We also urge that occupants of positions of responsibility should be mindful of their vow to serve and grow the Party from strength to strength, consolidating on the dreams of our founding fathers,” he said.
Damagum, while speaking to journalists, on the position of the PDP Governors on the crisis in the NWC, said there was no crisis in the party organ ab-initio.
“There is no crisis.The governors are a critical organ of the party. When they speak, we have to look at it holistically,” the Acting Chairman said.
Regardless, it was gathered that with the intervention of the PDP-GF in the NWC crisis, the major gladiators in the battle for the soul of the opposition party, are warming up for the NEC meeting scheduled for next Thursday.
A member of NEC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said despite the truce brokered by the Governors, the underlying issues that sparked off the crisis in the NWC are yet to be resolved.
The party official, who identified the Rivers political crisis as one of the bones of contention, said the various interests will take their case to NEC.
“The NWC under Damagum approved the Congresses in Rivers State, not minding pending litigations. As you know, the results of all the Congresses will be presented to the NEC for ratification. I can tell you that it is not over yet, ” he said.
The NEC member added that “if they want to replace the NWC with a caretaker committee, so be it. But some of us will insist at NEC that the right thing is done.”
Recall that party chiefs loyal to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), Nyesom Wike, have been locked in an intense tussle over the control of the party ahead of the 2027 polls.
Prior to the last NEC meeting, on April 18, the opposition party was enveloped in tension as both groups battled to outwit each other.
However, the NEC adjourned to August 31, to enable the North Central caucus to present a replacement for the immediate past national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, in line with the 2017 Constitution of the party.
However, the NWC rescheduled the NEC meeting for October 24.
It was gathered that while stakeholders in the North Central are warming up for the NEC, a Federal High Court, in Abuja, last Friday, gave an order barring the NEC and BoT from replacing Damagum, until December 2025, when the tenure of the current NWC will elapse.
But, it was also gathered that some interest groups are insisting that the acting chairman, must revert to his former position as Deputy National Chairman ( North), so that the North Central, where Ayu hails from, produce his replacement as enshrined in the Article 47(6) of the PDP Constitution.
A top party source told our correspondent that a group of stakeholders have renewed moves to draft former Senate President, David Mark, into the leadership of the party.
A source close to the former Senate President confirmed that there is renewed pressure on Mark to accept to serve as PDP National chairman but there are indications that the former Senate President is not fully subscribed to the idea.
According to him, “PDP stakeholders; elders, Governors forum and BoT members are mounting pressure on David Mark to take over the mantle of leadership of the PDP to rescue the party, but he is yet to give his word as at today (Tuesday, October 15).”
While stakeholders are warming up for the NEC meeting, the Bauchi Governor, said the PDP-GF, the BoT, the NWC, as well as the party’s National Caucus will meet to decide on the October 24 date.
Mohammed, who spoke in an interview with journalists, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Tuesday affirmed the resolution of three crises in the NWC, adding that the opposition party has also resolved not to preempt the outcome of various litigations in the PDP.
The Governor, who was responding to a question on the October 24 NEC meeting, said: “The Governors, the BoT, NWCÂ and the caucus will sit down and discuss the sacronsancy of the NEC.”
He charged PDP leaders to close ranks and make sacrifices in the overall interest of the party and the country at large.
