KEY POINTS
- PDP faces deepening leadership crisis with two factional chairmen.
- Court ruling backs Damagum as chairman, pending 2025 convention.
- Governors split into opposing camps over Damagum’s leadership.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faces heightened internal strife as factional leaders continue to clash over control of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
The division has deepened with the emergence of two acting national chairmen, Yayari Mohammed and Umar Damagum, leading rival factions, further polarizing the opposition party.
Damagum’s faction has issued warnings against what it calls unauthorized actions by Mohammed’s group, citing potential use of security agencies to enforce court orders.
In response, Mohammed’s faction remains defiant, emphasizing that they will act only in accordance with the party’s constitution.
Court intervention fuels leadership dispute
The PDP’s internal crisis, which began in 2022, intensified after the NWC suspended two key officials, National Legal Adviser Adeyemi Ajibade and National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, on Friday.
The suspensions, initiated by Damagum’s faction, were countered by a parallel announcement from Ologunagba, suspending Damagum and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu.
In a bid to stabilize the situation, a Federal High Court in Abuja issued an injunction recognizing Damagum as the acting national chairman until the party’s December 2025 convention.
Despite the court’s ruling, Abdullahi, the faction’s acting National Publicity Secretary, cautioned Mohammed’s group to respect the decision or face legal consequences.
“The rule of law must guide our actions, not personal interests or sentiments,” Abdullahi said at a press conference. He added that any deviation from the party’s constitution would prompt intervention from security agencies.
Governors seek resolution, but divisions persist
The crisis within the PDP has also split the party’s governors into opposing camps. Seven governors, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, are pushing for Damagum’s removal.
Among them are the governors of Osun, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, and Akwa Ibom. On the opposing side, four governors, led by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, support Damagum’s continued leadership.
Efforts to mediate the dispute remained unresolved after the PDP Governors Forum, which met online on Monday, postponed further discussions to Tuesday.
According to Punch, a national officer, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the meeting, chaired by Bala Mohammed, ended without consensus.
“The governors could not reach an agreement today, but discussions will continue,” the source revealed.
Amid the turmoil, party chieftain Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse downplayed the crisis, describing it as a routine power struggle. Moreover, he assured members that the situation would not derail the party’s structure.
“The disagreement is part of the political dynamics within any party. The PDP remains intact, and as stated by the party, a substantive national chairman will be elected at the NEC meeting scheduled for October 24,” Pearse said.
The governors are reportedly considering the formation of a caretaker committee to oversee the party’s affairs until December 2025, when the current NWC’s tenure expires.
