By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The Monday’s purported suspension of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) by a faction of the party loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike has been described as laughable and insulting.
The description was made by the North Central Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) of the PDP in a communique issued after its meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.
The North Central ZEC has therefore advised the National Vice Chairman (North Central), Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed, who was named the acting National Chairman of the PDP, to distance himself from any action capable of worsening the crisis within the party.
It will be recalled that Alhaji Mohammed on Monday assumed office as Acting National Chairman after Damagum and others were suspended.
Speaking yesterday at a press briefing in Abuja, the Secretary of the PDP North Central Zonal Committee Hon. Francis Orogu, who read the communiqué, insisted that Damagum could not be suspended by merely four NWC members and replaced by Mohammed.
He accused some individuals within the party of plotting to undermine the forthcoming PDP National Convention, adding that such actions were inimical to the unity and stability of the opposition party.
Orogu advised the NWC to concentrate on rebuilding public confidence and reassuring supporters of its commitment to a credible congress and the emergence of a new leadership before the expiration of its current tenure.
His words, “Although the North Central has been shortchanged during the micro-zoning of offices for the forthcoming National Convention, we must not allow ourselves to be dragged into the traps set by egomaniac and selfish politicians seeking to destroy the hope and future of Nigerians.”
He harped on the need for prudence and strict implementation of National Executive Committee (NEC) decisions to strengthen the PDP ahead of the convention.
Orogu warned that failure to resolve the party’s internal crisis could, in the future, “provide an opportunity for judicial mischief by some corrupt judges, as witnessed in the 2023 general elections.”
He frowned at and condemned the alleged use of security operatives to forcefully break into the PDP National Secretariat on Monday, describing it as “unbecoming of a civilized democratic society.”
Orogu also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to caution security agencies against aiding what he termed “any form of criminal coup, whether military or political,” noting that both constitute crimes against democracy.
