The Peoples Democratic Party chairmen across the 27 Local Government Areas of Jigawa State have passed a vote of confidence and support in the leadership of the state chairman, Babandi Gumel, and former governor Sule Lamido.
Following ongoing leadership rifts within the party at the national level, with factions jostling for control and calling for changes in the party’s leadership, the chairmen of the party made their declaration and their position known.
Recall that the PDP Board of Trustees had on Friday announced the suspension of Lamido over allegations of anti-party activities and inflammatory statements during recent internal crises in the party.
The endorsement by the Jigawa chairmen is widely seen as a boost to his standing following the opposition the former governor and a national chieftain of PDP faced from some factions within the party.
The chairmen made their position known during a special meeting held at the party’s state secretariat in Dutse on Tuesday.
The Chairman of the Dutse Local Government Chapter and Forum Chairman, Sa’adu Barwa, while speaking on behalf of the chairmen of the party, explained that they remained firmly committed to the party and its leadership in the state.
He further explained that the PDP chairmen of Jigawa State, reaffirm their allegiance to the party and its leadership, assuring that they will not be swayed by the ongoing crisis within the party.
He urged party members to remain calm, united and focused, stressing that the success of the PDP will depend on collective effort.
The chairmen, according to Barwa, urged all PDP members to remain united and focused on the party’s goals, saying that they will overcome their challenges and emerge stronger.
The Chairman of Hadejia Local Government Area and Vice Chairman of the forum, Adamu Muhd, also described the declaration as a testament to the chairmen’s loyalty to the party.
According to him, “We are committed to working with the state chairman and our national leader to ensure the success of the PDP in Jigawa State.”
Muhd enjoined other party members to emulate the chairmen by standing to show loyalty and support with the party and its leadership, believing that unity was critical to the future of the PDP.
The PDP state chairman, Babandi Gumel, had earlier expressed appreciation to the chairmen for their support and pledged to continue steering the party towards electoral success in the state.
Represented at the meeting by his deputy, Umar Danjani, the chairman reaffirmed the loyalty demonstrated by the chairmen.
The chairman stated that the party appreciated the unwavering support of their chairmen, saying that they will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the success of the PDP in Jigawa State.
The meeting had in attendance prominent PDP stakeholders, including former lawmakers and party leaders, who also expressed support for the party’s leadership.