PDP BOT Embarks On Troubleshooting Mission Ahead ‘Make Or Mar’ NEC Meeting

Amid the deepening crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party’s Board of Trustees has embarked on a troubleshooting mission ahead of the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting scheduled for October 25, 2024.

THE WHISTLER gathered that the NEC meeting, described as “make or mar” by a highly placed party source, will address the dispute surrounding the position of the party’s national chairman.

According to the source, who did not wish to be named because he is not authorized to speak on the matter, a substantive national chairman for the PDP is likely to emerge at the meeting.

However, who the national chairman will be is the subject of the latest disagreement in the party as a faction of the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by the chairman, Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed, is pushing for the removal of Acting National Chairman Amb. Iliya Damagum, and his replacement with a substantive national chairman from the North-Central. But another group, including some governors in the camp of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, is rooting for Damagum and want him ratified as the substantive national chairman at the NEC meeting.

Amid the impasse, the BOT, led by a former Senate President Adolphus Wabara has embarked on a peace mission in a bid to ensure an amicable resolution of the leadership dispute at the forthcoming NEC meeting.

The BOT commenced the assignment on September 17, 2024, with a closed door meeting with Wike in Abuja. The PDP BOT delegation at the meeting was led by the chairman, Nwabara, and the secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

The outcome of the meeting remains sketchy as the details were not disclosed. It is not certain if any resolution was reached at the meeting but sources told THE WHISTLER that further meetings between the BOT and the minister are expected.

THE WHISTLER reports that an earlier attempt by the BOT to intervene in the crisis in the PDP, by visiting Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara in Port Harcourt on August 20, 2024, had attracted the fury of the FCT minister, who described Wabara as “incompetent”. Wabara had at the meeting with Fubara, declared that the BOT will not stand helplessly while the party “is destroyed by a few individuals”.

Meanwhile, following the meeting with Wike on September 17, 2024, the BOT, on September 18, 2024, met with the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, in Bauchi. Like the earlier engagement with Wike, the meeting between the BOT and Mohammed was held behind closed doors, and details were not disclosed.

The meeting came about 24 hours after the Bauchi governor declared that the PDP Governors’ Forum had resolved to remove Damagum as the party’s acting national chairman. Mohammed made the declaration after a meeting with some members of the PDP National Working Committee, NWC, in Bauchi, further disclosing that North-Central would produce a substantive national chairman to complete the tenure of ex-National Chairman Prof Iyorchia Ayu, in line with a subsisting zoning arrangement.

After meeting with Mohammed, the BOT again met with the PDP National Assembly Caucus on September 19.

The meeting, which took place at the Legacy House in Abuja, had Wabara, Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Lere Oyewumi, House of Representatives Minority Whip, Ali Isa JC and Pastor Ojema Ojotu, among others, in attendance.

A highly placed source at the PDP secretariat informed THE WHISTLER on Sunday that the BOT will continue to meet key party stakeholders ahead of the October 25, 2024 NEC meeting.

A new national chairman might emerge at the meeting, to replace Damagum. But another possible scenario – which is being championed by Wike and his camp – is Damagum being ratified to continue as substantive national chairman.

“The coming NEC meeting could make or mar the PDP and that is why the BOT has embarked on these meetings. You can call it a peace mission, the overall objective is to resolve issues and ensure that the party emerges stronger and more united after the coming NEC meeting,” the source said, adding that the move is in line with the constitutional responsibilities of the BOT.

It remains to be seen if the BOT’s peace mission will succeed in resolving the latest dispute in the PDP.

Already, the Governors’ Forum, which is expected to play a decisive role in resolving the issue, is divided.

On one hand, there are governors – led by PDP Governors’ Forum chairman Bala Mohammed – who want Damagum removed. The governors in the group include Osun State’s Ademola Adeleke, who recently released a statement, insisting that the “party must adhere to its Constitution at this critical time and at all times”.

Prominent among those backing Fubara are Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State.

Fintiri, in a recent statement, declared that he is “solidly in support of Amb. Umar Damagum as National Chairman of the PDP”, noting that his leadership has restored public confidence among members of the party. “We are confident he will steer the party to greater heights,” he added.

Creating more confusion in the party, Fintiri further declared that the North-East zone – including Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Borno, and Yobe states – has endorsed Damagum to remain in office, suggesting that the zone is ready to contest the position of national chairman with the North-Central.

Fintiri pointed to an order issued by an Abuja Federal High Court, which stopped Damagum’s removal from office.