Elected deputies of the Peoples Democratic Party National Working Committee have cautioned those pushing to remove the party’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, to either accept his leadership until December 2025 or leave the party.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, accompanied by four other deputies, stressed the need for unity within the party and urged members to put aside personal ambitions and focus on repositioning the PDP.
Osadolor said, “From 2013 till date, personal ambitions have driven us to heights of pure mischief and arrogant use of power. This has led to agreements not being kept and the ambiguities in our constitution being exploited by those in position, even through the courts.
“We are all complicit by being perpetrators, supporters, or silent. No one is coming to save us; we must stand up and become heroes. We brought ourselves here. This is no longer the time for blame game; all have sinned.”
He cited various instances of betrayal within the party, including a Board of Trustees chairman endorsing an opposition governor, candidates negotiating with rival parties, and NWC members failing to deliver in their polling units.
Osadolor called on party leaders to set aside pride and work collaboratively under Damagum’s leadership. “We must all come down from our high horses, forget pride for now, and join hands with the party as led by Amb. Umar Damagum to reposition this party back to winning ways,” he said.
He also urged party members to refrain from activities that undermine the PDP. “Court distractions and media demarketing of the PDP must stop forthwith. You do not need to like the officers, but the party is more important. If you want to resign and go, be a proper opposition. Do not be here and go from TV to radio houses abusing the party.”
On Damagum’s leadership, Osadolor declared, “The case of the acting national chairman is settled till December 2025, and on that of the national secretary, wait on the courts. Let’s learn to love and support PDP first and always.”
He further lamented the challenges facing the PDP, blaming distrust, insincerity, self-serving interests, and a lack of firm enforcement of agreements. He also criticized unnamed party leaders for sowing discord within the party, describing their actions as unethical and harmful to the PDP’s interests.
“This behavior is apparently self-serving on their part, as it is not in the interest of the PDP in any way. It is ethically and morally wrong for members of the party to move around creating confusion instead of exploring our internal mechanism for peace,” he added.
Others present at the briefing included Deputy National Publicity Secretary Ibrahim Abdullahi, Deputy National Financial Secretary Ndubisi Eneh, and Deputy National Organising Secretary Pascal Adigwe.