The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and key stakeholders have intensified efforts to remove Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Ilyas Damagum.
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. The upcoming meeting is expected to address internal party conflicts, divisions, and engage in consultations with critical stakeholders.
The period between November 2024 and February 2025 will be focused on resolving pressing issues, including leadership concerns and ongoing legal challenges. Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde, who are spearheading the push for Damagum’s removal, have emphasized the need for a definitive resolution. They expressed concerns that the preparations for the PDP zonal congresses could be used as an excuse to delay the NEC meeting, proposing that it must take place by late January or early February 2025.
Members opposing Damagum’s leadership are determined to prevent him from holding office until November 2025, fearing that he could influence the election of the party’s next leadership. However, some party members are against his removal, creating a divide within the party.
In October, Damagum’s faction secured a court order preventing his removal. The Federal High Court in Abuja, under Justice Peter Lifu, ruled that the PDP NEC and the Board of Trustees (BoT) are prohibited from recognizing any other person as party chairman until the national convention in December 2025. The ruling emphasized that national officers can only be elected during the convention, in line with the party’s constitution.
The injunction has raised concerns about the feasibility of removing Damagum, with some party members warning that disregarding the court order could damage the party’s reputation.
At a recent meeting, members of the North Central Caucus, led by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, pushed for an NEC meeting to elect a new national chairman from their zone. However, PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman Alhaji Bala Mohammed worked to ease tensions within the party.
In a communiqué, the PDP Governors’ Forum acknowledged the party’s internal divisions but reiterated its commitment to unity and focus on reclaiming power at the federal level. The forum also expressed condolences to Governor Eno Bassey over the loss of his wife, whose 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), Dr. Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), as well as Deputy Governors Sir Monday Onyeme (Delta) and Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai (Enugu).
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