The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and key stakeholders have ramped up efforts to remove Acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Ilyas Damagum from office.
The forum has instructed the Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) to convene a meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) by the first week of February 2025. This meeting is expected to address internal party conflicts, divisions, and allow for extensive consultations with critical party members.
The period between November 2024 and February 2025 will be used to tackle key issues, including leadership disputes and ongoing litigation.
According to sources, Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde, who are leading the push for change, have expressed concerns that preparations for the PDP zonal congresses could be used as an excuse for further delays in holding the NEC meeting. They have proposed that the meeting be held by late January or early February 2025.
Anti-Damagum members within the party are determined to prevent him from remaining in office until November 2025, when his position could influence the election of the next party leadership.
However, sources suggest that their efforts may face challenges, as some party members are opposed to Damagum’s removal.
In October, the Damagum faction secured a court order preventing his removal as acting national chairman. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) are prohibited from recognizing anyone else as party chairman until the national convention in December 2025. The judge emphasized the need for the party to adhere to its constitution, which stipulates that national officers can only be elected at the convention.
This court injunction has raised concerns among party members about the feasibility of removing Damagum. A former PDP governor warned that ignoring the court order could damage the party’s democratic reputation.
During a meeting on Saturday, some members of the North Central Caucus, led by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, called for the NEC meeting to select a new national chairman from their zone. However, tensions were eased by other party members, including PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman Alhaji Bala Mohammed.
In a communiqué, the PDP Governors’ Forum acknowledged the internal challenges but reaffirmed its commitment to party unity and cohesion, with a focus on regaining power at the federal level. The forum also expressed condolences to Governor Eno Bassey, whose late wife’s funeral coincided with the originally scheduled NEC meeting.
The meeting was attended by key figures, including Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (Chairman, PDP Governors’ Forum), Governor Caleb Mutfwang (host governor), Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Dr. Agbu Kefas (Taraba), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), and Dr. Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), as well as deputy governors Sir Monday Onyeme (Delta) and Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai (Enugu).