PDP Crisis Intensifies: Damagum Calls for Loyalty as Factions Clash

Umar Damagum, the factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has issued a stern warning to members he claims are being used by malicious forces to destabilize the party. Addressing the Forum of State PDP Chairmen in Abuja on Thursday, Damagum emphasized that such betrayals would not go unpunished, invoking the principle of karma. His remarks come at a critical juncture, as the PDP grapples with internal divisions and leadership challenges that threaten to undermine its unity and future electoral prospects.

Rising Tensions and Calls for Loyalty

In his address, Damagum called for members who might be undermining the party to “cast the devil in them” and recognize the gravity of their actions. He stressed that disloyalty, particularly to an institution that has contributed to their success, would ultimately be self-destructive. His comments alluded to the longstanding adage of karmic retribution—“what goes around, comes around”—and served as a direct challenge to those seeking to destabilize the PDP. “We owe everything to God,” Damagum reminded the gathering, reaffirming his faith-driven approach to leadership.

This appeal for unity comes amid an ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP. Recently, the party’s National Secretary, National Organizing Secretary, and National Legal Adviser were suspended for alleged anti-party activities, with the group aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, challenging Damagum’s leadership. The turmoil deepened when Abdulrahman Mohammed, a prominent member of the Wike faction, declared himself the new Acting National Chairman, with both sides laying claim to the party’s leadership and its upcoming convention.

PDP’s Resilience Amidst Internal Strife

Despite the internal chaos, Damagum remains resolute about the PDP’s future. Laughing off claims that the party is “dead,” he argued that the PDP is very much alive and continues to be the primary political force in Nigeria. “You don’t tell a story of something that doesn’t exist,” he remarked, asserting that the party’s vitality was evident in the ongoing political discourse. Damagum’s optimism is rooted in the support he has garnered from 29 state PDP chairmen, who recently issued a communiqué affirming their loyalty to his leadership. The communiqué also praised the collaborative efforts between the PDP Governors’ Forum, the Board of Trustees (BoT), and the National Working Committee (NWC), citing this synergy as instrumental in stabilizing the party.

The state chairmen also underscored the importance of discipline within the party, calling for the enforcement of party rules and sanctions against members who undermine the PDP’s unity. As the party heads into its planned convention in mid-November, the internal rifts threaten to overshadow the event, with both factions preparing for a showdown over the party’s direction.

Judicial Intervention and the Battle for Leadership

The ongoing dispute has also brought the Nigerian judiciary into play. Damagum’s faction is relying on a favorable ruling from Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, which sanctioned the convention for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan. However, the Wike faction has contested this ruling, filing an appeal in an effort to block the convention and assert their control over the PDP. This legal battle further complicates the situation, with both sides digging in their heels and claiming legitimacy.

As the crisis continues to unfold, all eyes are on the upcoming convention, which will serve as a critical juncture for the PDP. Will Damagum’s leadership triumph, or will the Wike faction succeed in assuming control of the party’s reins? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain—the battle for the PDP’s soul is far from over.