PDP GOVERNORS DIVIDED OVER CHOICE OF PARTY CHAIRMAN
There is no resolution in sight to the crisis rocking the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as calls to replace its acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, have deepened divisions within the PDP Governors’ Forum.
A senior member of the PDP National Working Committee, speaking anonymously lrevealed that, in addition to the backing of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, Damagum has the support of at least four governors from the party.
He identified the four governors as Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State; Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State; and Agbu Kefas of Taraba State.
According to the source, while the Enugu and Zamfara state governors, Peter Mbah and Dauda Lawal, respectively, are neutral, the remaining seven PDP governors are pushing to oust Damagum.
The anti-Damagum governors are led by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who is also the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum.
With him are Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke; Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki; Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri; Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara; Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno.
The source noted, “Oyo State Governor Makinde leads three other governors who are friends of Wike, and they are backing Damagum to continue in his acting role.”
Since assuming the role of acting National Chairman after Senator Iyorchia Ayu was sacked by a court, Damagum has faced increasing blame from party leaders for the ongoing crisis in the PDP, with calls for his resignation.
The situation escalated when Damagum and other NWC members aligned with Wike to secure approval for the controversial Rivers State PDP Congresses and postponed the National Executive Committee meeting from September 26 to October 24.
Tensions between Wike and the current Rivers State Governor heightened on August 24, following public backing for Fubara from PDP governors who called for a review of the Rivers State Congresses and reaffirmed Fubara’s leadership.
Wike responded aggressively on August 31, threatening to disrupt activities in the governors’ states if they continued to interfere in Rivers State matters.
In turn, the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, condemned Wike’s threat as irresponsible on September 3.
Wike maintained his position, stating he would not withdraw his threat regarding actions in PDP states.
While hosting five NWC members in Bauchi, the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum dismissed Wike’s threat and indicated that the North Central region would propose Damagum’s successor.
In a swift response, Makinde, a Wike ally, assured Damagum on Wednesday of their full support to help reposition the PDP.
The Oyo State Governor stated: “I am glad that the National Working Committee of our party is here. I read that there was another meeting in Bauchi. Let me say it clearly that we are 100 percent in support of the Damagum-led NWC. Whatever decision you take, we will support you to reposition the party.”
The reliable source disclosed that the governors of Enugu and Zamfara states are neutral regarding the ongoing leadership crisis in the PDP.
He stated, “Of course, Wike is not alone. He enjoys the support of the PDP governors and other party stakeholders. Makinde has always been Wike’s close friend; governors of Taraba, Plateau, and most surprisingly, Adamawa State are with them.
“These are the people who are working with Wike to sustain Damagum and empower the FCT Minister to take over the PDP structure in Rivers State.
“You heard Bauchi State Governor in recent times, so you know where he stands. Others that are with the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum are Fubara, Delta, Osun, Bayelsa, maybe Akwa Ibom. The remaining two, Zamfara and Enugu, are indifferent.”
Confirming what the source told The PUNCH, the Adamawa State governor publicly declared his full support for the PDP acting national chairman on X on Thursday.
Fintiri wrote: “Solidly in support of Amb. Umar Damagum as National Chairman of @OfficialPDPNig! His leadership has restored public confidence, and we are confident he will steer the party to greater heights.”
Also, Fintiri, in a press statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, expressed confidence in Damagum’s leadership on Thursday on behalf of the PDP in Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Borno, and Yobe states.
The statement indicated that the North-East caucus of the PDP is fully supportive of Damagum.
It stated, “The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Borno, and Yobe states has endorsed Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum’s leadership as acting National Chairman. Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, speaking on behalf of the five states, expressed confidence in Damagum’s leadership since assuming office.
“Citing a Federal High Court Abuja restraining order, Fintiri stated that Damagum should complete former Chairman Dr. Iyorchia Ayu’s tenure unless the court decides otherwise.
“The governor praised Damagum for restoring public confidence in the party and urged members to respect the court’s ruling for the party’s and democracy’s sake.
“The governor, who described the performance of the party in the North-East region during the 2023 elections as unprecedented at all levels, noted that the zone deserves the position of National Chairman more than any section in the North.”
On Thursday, Osun State Governor, Adeleke, declared his stance against Damagum.
In a statement released on Thursday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke urged party members to consistently adhere to the party’s Constitution, especially during this critical time. The PDP Constitution stipulates that any replacement for a vacant NWC position must be sourced from the zone of the previous occupant. In other words, Ayu’s successor should be from North Central.
“I stand by the Constitution of our great party, which clearly spells out the succession procedure in case of the exit of an elected chairman.
“I also stand by the resolution of the PDP Governors’ Forum, of which I am an integral part. Our party must adhere to its Constitution at this critical time and at all times. That is the way to build a responsible political party,” Adeleke said.
Meanwhile, the PDP Board of Trustees, led by its Chairman, Adolphus Wabara, met behind closed doors with the PDP caucus in the National Assembly on Thursday.
Emerging from the meeting, Wabara said the deliberation was peaceful.
The meeting with the lawmakers came two days after the BoT held a similar closed-door meeting with Wike.
“We met with the National Caucus, and as you can see, the meeting was peaceful,” Wabara told newsmen on Thursday.
PDP BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara, Secretary Senator Ahmed Makarfi, and other members held a closed-door meeting with Wike in Abuja on Tuesday.
Recall that the BoT met with the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Bauchi State Governor, in the state capital on Wednesday.
The meeting between the National Assembly Caucus and the BoT took place at the PDP office, Legacy House, in Abuja.
In addition to Wabara and Makarfi, attendees included House Minority Leader, Hon. Chinda Kingsley; Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Lere Oyewumi; House of Representatives Minority Whip, Hon. Ali Isa JC; and Hon. Pastor Ojema Ojotu, among others.
It was learned that the BoT convened the meeting to assess the sentiment of the PDP caucus in the National Assembly regarding the party’s challenges, urge calm, and suggest recommendations for resolving the issues.
FUBARA LOSES AS APPEAL COURT AFFIRMS PRO-WIKE LAWMAKER AS AUTHENTIC SPEAKER OF RIVERS ASSEMBLY
FUBARA LOSES AS APPEAL COURT AFFIRMS PRO-WIKE LAWMAKER AS AUTHENTIC SPEAKER OF RIVERS ASSEMBLY The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, affirmed Hon. Martin Amaewhule as the authentic Speaker of the Rivers State Assembly. The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices, equally validated the Amaewhule-led members of the Assembly as bonafide lawmakers for the state. While dismissing an appeal that was lodged before it by Governor Siminalaye Fubara, the court upheld a judgement the Federal High Court delivered on January 22, which nullified the 2024 budget of Rivers State on the premise that it was not presented before members of the state assembly that were known to the law. According to the appellate court, Fubara, shot himself on the foot when he voluntarily withdrew a counter-affidavit he filed to challenge a legal action the Amaewhule-led lawmakers instituted to be recognised as valid members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The court held that governor Fubara’s decision to present the 2024 Rivers State Appropriation Bill to only four out of 31 members of the Assembly, amounted to a gross violation of section 91 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. It will be recalled that the Rivers State Assembly was fractionalised owing to the frosty relationship between Governor Fubara and his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike. In the heat of the fracas, governor Fubara sidelined the Amaewhule-led 26 members of the House that were loyal to Wike and presented the state’s N800billion 2024 budget before the four lawmakers led by Hon. Edison Ehie who had emerged as a factional Speaker of the Assembly. The Ehie-led faction, which had also declared seats of the Amaewhule-led pro-Wike lawmakers vacant for defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC, from the Peoples Democratic Party, promptly passed the budget which was quickly assented to by Governor Fubara. Meanwhile, following the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, both Fubara and Wike signed a peace pact that included the restoration of Amaewhule as the bonafide Speaker of the State Assembly. The factional Speaker, Ehie, who had approached the court and was joined as an interested party in the suit, subsequently withdrew all the processes he filed before the court and equally rescinded both his seat and his membership of the Assembly. Whereas Governor Fubara, in line with terms of the peace deal, withdrew all the processes he filed to challenge the suit, however, the pro-Wike lawmakers only withdrew an impeachment notice they served on him while they declined to terminate their legal action. While deciding the suit, Justice James Omotosho of the high court held that the budget was invalid as it was not properly presented before the Rivers State House of Assembly as required by the law. It held that Governor Fubara acted like a tyrant when he demolished the Rivers State Assembly complex and withheld funds standing to the credit of the legislative house. The court also described as unconstitutional, the redeployment of the Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the Rivers State Assembly by Governor Fubara. Justice Omotosho stressed that the governor lacked the statutory rights to interfere with the operations of the Assembly, adding that he acted in contempt of a subsisting order that barred the parties from taking any steps to overreach the matter that was pending before the court. Besides, the court held that the National Assembly could not take over the legislative affairs of the state in the absence of the preconditions that were listed under section 11 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. Consequently, the court, among other things, nullified all actions the Rivers Assembly took without the participation of the Amaewhule-led members of the House, among which included the presentation…