Published November 21, 2024
By Chinwndu Eugene
Amid ongoing internal disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party, governors on the platform of the party will meet in Jos, Plateau State, on Saturday, to discuss internal matters and the current state of the nation.
The meeting was in preparation for the 99th National Executive Committee meeting of the party scheduled for November 28.
A senior member of the PDP, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to speak on the issue, revealed to a media outlet on Wednesday that the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), were invited to the meeting.
At the 98th NEC meeting, held on April 18, party leaders approved the formation of a reconciliation and disciplinary committee, and the conduct of ward and state congresses, and instructed the North Central caucus to consult on the national chairmanship position.
The 98th NEC also set August 15 for the 99th NEC meeting, which was first postponed to October 24, 2024, and then rescheduled to November 28, 2024.
In the meantime, the Edo and Ondo governorship elections were held, with both states lost to the All Progressives Congress.
The crisis in the party has festered since the conduct of the 2023 general election which the party lost.
Some members, including governors, were asking that the acting national chairman, Damagum, step aside for a new leadership that would revive the fortunes of the party.
Another camp loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, wanted Damagum to stay out the remaining term of the sacked national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu.
A reliable source informed our correspondent that the governors’ meeting would establish the tone and agenda for the 99th NEC.
He stated “Although the NEC is scheduled for November 28, the governors will meet on Saturday in Jos, Plateau State.
“This meeting will decide whether the NEC will proceed as planned, as they will set the agenda and tone for the gathering.
“Although many stakeholders have perfected plans alongside state chairmen to retain Damagum.
“Some members of the NWC, including Damagum, the national secretary, national organising secretary, and the legal adviser, have been invited to the meeting. They will update the governors on developments within the party.
“Additionally, the meeting will address off-cycle elections, including the Edo and Ondo governorship elections which were lost. The governors will also discuss various national issues.”
The PUNCH reported on Wednesday that the NWC held a meeting with the chairpersons of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory at the party’s headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
The meeting, which began at 1 pm and ended at 3:20 pm, was chaired by Damagum.
Speaking to the press after their closed-door meeting, the Interim Chairman of the PDP Forum of State Chairmen and Imo State PDP Chairman, Austin Nwachukwu, said contrary to belief, the party was emerging stronger in the new era.
He stressed that what was often referred to as a crisis within the PDP was, in fact, a superficial or “cosmetic” crisis.
When asked if Damagum was concerned about the party’s declining fortunes, particularly after the loss of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections, the forum chairman said, “You know the elections that the ruling party conducts now. You know what they do.
“We want to clear the erroneous impressions that the fortunes of the party are diminishing each day. It is not. It is rather looking stronger into the new dispensation.”
He continued, “What you may call a crisis in the party is just cosmetic. They are doing their work, they are all intact.
“You can see all of them in the meeting. So I don’t see where the crisis you are talking about is coming from. Social media hype, is that where the problems in the party are being discussed?
“We are here today, we didn’t see anybody coming to accuse the NWC of anything. This is the issue that we should look at.”
