Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, has reacted to the ongoing call for the removal of the People’s Democratic Party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, noting that the call is needless.
A week ago, about 60 lawmakers in the House of Representatives, led by Ikanga UgoChinyere, called for Damagum’s resignation, but the minority leadership of the Green Chamber disowned them, describing their coalition as unknown to the Lower Chamber.
However, in his reaction, Moro noted that simply calling for the resignation of the acting party chairman is not a viable solution.
He stressed that the party is a voluntary organization, and urged its members to focus on strengthening their unity rather than engaging in divisive actions.
Moro further acknowledged the frustrations among party members, attributing them to the fallout from the PDP’s failure to win elections in 2023.
He noted that the lack of frequent meetings by the party’s elective council has contributed to the party’s current state of discontent.
Moro said, “You don’t solve a problem by running away from the problem. I think that we have gone beyond that stage now of calling on the acting chairman to resign or they will leave the party. The party is a voluntary organisation. I think the earlier people realise this, the better.”
He added, “We have been having issues with PDP as a party, no doubt about that, and it’s all as a fallout of the failure of the PDP to win elections in 2023. Understandably so, a lot of things have happened since then.
“And much more importantly, very many people had expected that the executive council of the PDP should have frequently called, but this has not been done. So understandably members of the party are frustrated,” he stated.
Despite the challenges, the PDP stalwart expressed optimism about upcoming meetings, including one called by the National Executive Committee on April 18, and others organised by various party organisations in the following week.
Meanwhile, former governorship candidate of the party in Nasarawa State, David Ombugadu, has declined an invitation to run for the position of the party’s National Chairman.
A former PDP National Deputy Chairman (North) became the party’s acting chairman in March 2023 following the expression of no confidence in the last National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, by the executive members of his ward in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State over alleged anti-party activities.
Subsequently, various sectors, including the North Central area, requested the Damagum-led National Working Committee to convene a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee to consider the nomination from the North Central region and approve a permanent national chairman from the area.
This compelled a former governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam, and former Deputy National Secretary of the PDP, Emmanuel Agbo, among others, to start active campaigns to succeed Ayu as the official National Chairman of the party ahead of the NEC meeting scheduled for April 18.
However, last week, a coalition comprising support groups within the PDP in Nasarawa State and PDP Frontliners demanded that the National Chairmanship position be filled by Ombugadu.
However, in a statement on Saturday, Ombugadu noted that even adversaries of the PDP recognise the party as a cohesive, well-organised, and structured political entity that upholds the principles of federal character, justice, equity, and fairness in Nigeria.
He said, “I feel humbled that much of these calls emphasize our antecedents, especially with keen references to our creativity, stamina, innovation, the populist enthusiasm that was aroused as well as the dividends of democracy that our mandate yielded all over Nasarawa state; worthy attestations from the good people of Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/ Wamba Federal Constituency whom I represented between 2011-2019 and the very positive impacts of our keen pursuit of the gubernatorial ticket of Nasarawa State in 2019 and 2023 remain very relevant.
“All of us, and even our political foes know that the PDP is an organic, organised, and structured political party that believes in the principle of federal character, justice, equity, and fairness in Nigeria. These calls are in line with the people-focused constitution of our great party, and I believe strongly that it is borne out of patriotism and love for democracy.
“Because I have a lot to offer and have always responded to clarion calls by our people to serve in different capacities, I’d like to inform the general public that though my hat is not in the ring, I have heard your voices loud and clear but I have not succumbed yet to the calls to run for the position of National Chairman of our party.”
