Damagum Plots To Retain National Chairman Position As PDP Govs To Summon NEC Meeting

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may get a solution to the crisis rocking the party this week as a Makurdi High Court is set to sit over the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.

Naija News recalls that Ayu was suspended on March 26th by his Igyorov Ward in the Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.

Ayu was subsequently forced to step aside and replaced in an acting capacity by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Ambassador Umar Damagum, following an order of a Benue High Court restraining him from parading himself as PDP National Chairman.

The Benue High Court had also fixed tomorrow, April 17, for a hearing in the case against Ayu.

But Damagum, who has not been seen at the party’s secretariat for some time now, leading to speculations that he might have gone on lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia, is reportedly consulting with party stakeholders.

A source told Sunday Telegraph: “The party is passing through a phase now! Damagun’s style will need time to manifest.

“Maybe, he is still consulting…I don’t know, but there is no doubt that he is now on the bloc.”

Another source claimed that the acting National Chairman is lobbying party leaders to be confirmed as substantive Chairman.

“He is going round, lobbying. I don’t know what gives him the courage, but I think the chairmanship position will be retained in the North Central.

“I foresee NEC (National Executive Committee) meeting holding before May 29 handover, maybe after Sallah! And then a decision will be taken for a mini-convention because the position of National Secretary will be vacant soon,” the source said.

According to Telegraph, some outgoing governors will try to stabilise the party before handing over to their successors on May 29th.

Also, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has been accused of nursing the wound he suffered in his electoral defeat and not playing the father figure needed by the party.

A source said: “Atiku cannot call for any meeting now because he failed to unite the party before the election. Who is going to listen to him now? Nobody!

“I believe the governors will call for NEC meeting after Sallah. Before then, all the outstanding elections might have been concluded.

“Except Abia, Sokoto, and Benue, we retained most of our states, but we recovered Zamfara and Plateau. So, there is nothing to worry about.”