Damagum to EK Clark, Ologbondiyan: I Can’t Be Intimidated

• PDP mustn’t be allowed to die, says Wabara

By Folorunso Alagbede/Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Umar Ilya Damagum, has emphatically declared that he cannot be intimidated into abdicating his responsibility.

In an apparent reference to the latest criticisms on him by an erstwhile Federal Commissioner of Information, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark and immediate past National Publicity Secretary, NPS, of party, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, Damagum advised that Chief Clark should be playing the role of a father to all.

According to Damagum, “I thought that when you reach that age (referring to Clark, who is over 90 years of age), God has given you the opportunity and wisdom to be a father to all, not to engage in public arguments.

“He has all it takes to do the needful, not by taking a sentimental approach to the situation. I was not raised to be disrespectful to elders, so I don’t intend to dwell on this further”.

The declaration by Damagum is coming

on the heels of the warning by the Chairman, Board of Trustee of PDP, Senator Adulphus Wabara that the party shouldn’t be allowed to die.

Both Damagum and Wabara spoke on Wednesday at the inauguration of the party National Reconciliation and Disciplinary Committees, headed by Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Tom Ikimi respectively.

It will recalled that Clark had on Tuesday told Damagum to stop colluding with Barr. Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to destroy the party, adding that a day of reckoning will come for all of man’ s activities.

Clark further told Damagum that “your position, Mr. Acting National Chairman, is antithetical to the position of Section 109 of your party’s constitutional.You took your party’ s NEC to court, an organ you preside over. Yet you still have the presence of mind to remain in office, earning benefits that come with the office.

“From all indications, you are conniving with detractors of PDP to ruin the party, for the All Progressives’ Congress (APC). Allow Nigerians to decide what party they want through the ballot box”, he said.

On his part, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan had, on Arise Television, berated Damagum and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for instituting a letter to the Appeal Court in the ongoing legal battle in Rivers State, adding that the party National Chairman breached the party’s constitution by taking that action without recourse to the national legal adviser who is empowered by Section 42 (1) to nominate legal representation for the party.

Reacting to the criticisms in his remarks during the PDP inauguration, Damagum warned that nobody can bring him down, unless they want the party to go down too.

The acting National Chairman explained that he didn’t do anything wrong in the letter instituted on the Appeal Court case.

He said: “Sometimes I feel sad. I also want to use this opportunity to clear certain insinuations that have been trending on social media. The last time I checked, the signatories of this party are the Chairman and the secretary.

“Just because the chairman and secretary signed a letter, it has become an issue. People are making all sorts of insinuations about it. I don’t want to engage with the other person—it’s a distraction.

“But it pains me when I see someone who knows the workings of the NWC going on television to mislead the audience and say things that are not correct. It is painful. Very, very painful.

“There is precedent for what we did. During Kashamu’s case, the Chairman and Secretary brought it to the Supreme Court. There was also the issue of Anambra.

“Two issues arose. The chairman and secretary, in any situation, work as a team. I don’t make decisions without consulting my members. I’ve always been proud of that. My door has always been open. So, nobody is going to intimidate me into abdicating my responsibility.

“You can say all sorts of things. I know this is a buildup to the next election. Damagu must go, Damagu must go. I thank God, people are making me very popular lately. Anytime you open social media or television, it’s Damagum, Damagum.

“Honestly speaking, I’ve started contemplating throwing myself into the ring and vying for the presidency of this country, because I’ve become popular, even though the negative publicity is meant to bring me down, I’m not deterred.

“I have a responsibility to this party to keep it safe and stable. I intend to take all necessary actions to ensure the party remains stable. But I’ve reached a point where I have to speak out.

“I’ve avoided talking because I know so many things. When I open my mouth, I know it will not be pleasant, but that’s the price of leadership. I’m ready to take that bashing, more bashing.

“And to my detractors, let me tell you, you’ll see more of that letter. Because I will not abdicate my responsibility. But I will act within the confines of the law, as stipulated by the constitution. So I’m not deterred. You can try to bring me down, but importantly, while doing so, please remember that we have NEC.

“So, for those interested in seeing Damagum go, this is a buildup to undermine me before we have NEC. But if you bring Damagum down and lose the party, what have you achieved? Because in trying to bring me down, you are also bringing down your party”, he said.

Damagum thus warned PDP members to stop castigating the party, adding, “every time people say the party is dying, they are sending a message to the opposition that we are weak. If you believe in the party, you should speak positively, unless you are an agent of destruction. You should be positive whenever you talk if you believe in this party. So, I see this as an opportunity to clear the air.”

On his part, Senator Wabara urged the reconciliation and disciplinary committees to function without fear or favour, no matter whose ox is gored.

He further urged the committees to allow the party Constitution guides whatever decisions or actions they will take, adding, “failure of which, in my considered opinion, will lead to Nigeria becoming a one-party state. This is the beginning, because without an opposition, there is no democracy”.

He added, “It’s very clear—the truth must be told all the time. This party should not be allowed to die in the hands of these two committees”.