October 11, (THEWILL) – The crisis over the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has escalated following an open confrontation between the Acting National Chairman of the party, Amb Illiya Damagum and its national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
This is coming after the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), on Thursday, directed an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) scheduled for October 24.
In a statement signed and issued Thursday night by the national director of publicity, Adm. Chinwe I. Nnorom (Pst.), the Damagum-led PDP National Working Committee (NWC), announced the suspension of Ologunagba and the national legal adviser (NLA) of the party, Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, from office.
The NWC said it has constituted a committee to investigate what it described as “issues raised against the officers in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Party.”
“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) arising from its 593rd Meeting today, Thursday, October 10, 2024, has directed the National Publicity Secretary (NPS), Hon Debo Ologunagba and National Legal Adviser (NLA), Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, to step aside respectively.
“As a result, the NWC constituted a committee to be chaired by the Deputy National Chairman (South) H.E. Amb. Taofeek Arapaja, to investigate the issues raised against the officers in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Party.
“Following the NWC’s Decision, it directed their respective deputies (DNPS and DNLA) to assume office in acting capacity with effect from Friday, October 11, 2014, pending the conclusion of an investigation by the Committee.
“The officers are: Ibrahim Abdullahi Manga, Esq, Acting National Publicity Secretary and Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha, Acting National Legal Adviser.
“The NWC enjoins all leaders, critical stakeholders, teeming members and supporters of our great Party to remain focused and committed as it pilots the day-to-day affairs of the PDP for its greater good”, it said
But in a counter statement on Friday, Ologunagba announced the suspension of Damagum and the party’s national secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, over alleged anti-party activities.
His statement read, “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has extensively considered the series of complaints raised against the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Illiya Damagum and National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu particularly with regard to the letter addressed by them to the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/PH/307/2024 against the Party’s position in the case involving the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who vacated their seats upon decamping from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The NWC condemned this anti-party activity of the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary which is in gross violation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and their Oath of Office.
“Consequently, the NWC, pursuant to Sections 57, 58 and 59 of the PDP Constitution, has suspended Amb. Illiya Damagum and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as Acting National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party respectively and referred them to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action.
“In the meantime, the two officials are suspended from all meetings, activities and programs of the NWC pending the conclusion of the investigation by the National Disciplinary Committee.”
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