The leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party is escalating, with increasing calls for the resignation of the party’s acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum.
Sources within the party indicate that factions loyal to different power blocs are in open conflict, raising concerns that the divide could further weaken the opposition party.
At a recent Board of Trustees meeting in Abuja, members expressed their dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs within the party.
They particularly criticized the National Working Committee’s repeated delays in organizing a long-awaited National Executive Committee meeting, according to Politics Nigeria.
The postponements have sparked accusations that the party has been taken over by vested interests, with Damagum’s leadership at the center of the controversy.
Tensions were further heightened by the defection of Eriethake Ibori-Suenu, a PDP member of the House of Representatives from Delta State and the daughter of former Governor James Ibori, who switched allegiance to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
BoT members view this defection as a sign of the party’s declining influence under Damagum’s leadership.
In a statement, the BoT called for the NWC to convene the NEC meeting by February 2025 to address urgent matters, including the selection of a successor for former National Chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu, specifically from the North Central Zone.
Critics of Damagum, many of whom support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accuse him of prioritizing the interests of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Despite this opposition, Damagum’s supporters remain confident, citing a court injunction that ensures his position until December 2025, allowing him to complete his term. However, some party insiders suggest that Damagum is prepared to return to his previous role as Deputy National Chairman (North) if his acting tenure is cut short.
