Politics
PDP Crisis: We all sinned, let Damagum be – NWC members
The crisis rocking the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is far from over as the elected deputies of the party on Wednesday in Abuja, declared support for the crisis ridden Umar Damagum leadership.
The elected deputies who are by their position members of the National Working Committee, NWC, said members of PDP contributed to its woes and declared that Damagum should continue to in office as the PDP Chairman until December 2025.
The PDP chieftains, led by the party’s Deputy National Youth Leader, Comrade Timothy Osadolor, stated this at a press conference, saying they have all sinnned against PDP.
He however said, anyone who is dissatisfied with Damagum leadership has option of leaving the party.
Osadolor expressed frustration, saying neither Damagum nor nor a single individual should take responsibility for bringing PDP to its knees, adding that it is time to stop the blame game and work for the restoration of the party’s fortunes.
He urged members of the main opposition party to stop court orders and media interviews to distract the party, but rather join the Damagum-led leadership to advance the cause of the party.
He called well meaning PDP members to wait for court decision on controversy trailing the National Secretary position which two persons are laying claim to.
He said, “From 2013 to date, personal ambitions have driven us to heights of pure mischief and arrogant use of power.
“This has led to agreements not being kept and the ambiguities in our Constitution being exploited by those in position, even through the courts.
“We are all complicit by being perpetrators, supporters, or silent. No one is coming to save us; we must stand up and become heroes; we brought ourselves here.
“This is no longer the time for a blame game; all have sinned. From the BOT chairman, who endorsed an opposition governor, to candidates that negotiated and supported other party candidates in promises to get their return support, to NWC members and leaders that lost their polling units.
“We must all come down from our high horses, forget pride for now, and join hands with the party as led by Amb. Illya Damagum to reposition this party back to winning ways.
“Court distractions and media demarketing of the PDP must stop forthwith. You do not need to like the officers, but the party is more important.
“If you want to resign and go, be a proper opposition; do not be here and go from TV house to radio house abusing the party.
“The case of the acting national chairman is settled till December 2025, and on that of the National Secretary, we wait on the courts. Let’s learn to love and support PDP first and always.”
He listed issues such as distrust, insincerity, lack of firm enforcement of agreements, self-serving interests, and unnecessary eye service that is laced with smooth tongues as some of the factors responsible for the PDP crisis.
Osadolor added that the PDP is also dealing with the tyranny of the All Progressives Congress-led federal government against the party and Nigerians in general.
“This behaviour is apparently self-serving on their part, as it is not in the interest of the PDP in any way. It is ethically and morally wrong for members of the party to move around creating confusion instead of exploring our internal mechanism for peace,” he added.
At the press briefing on Wednesday the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor, Deputy National Publicity Secretary Ibrahim Abdullahi, Deputy National Financial Secretary Ndubisi Eneh, and National Deputy Organising Secretary Pascal Adigwe.
Stakeholders in Bauchi State, a political group operating under the aegis of Bauchi South Concern Citizens Movement and some pressure groups has advocated for Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar to succeed Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed who is currently serving out his second tenure on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Tuggar, a Minister in President Bola Tinubu’s administration is from the Northern zone of the State which they said has not produced Governor since 1999.
The group which is an arm of the All Progressives Congress in a meeting in Bauchi to chart a way forward for governorship of APC fold, said, the ticket should be reserved for someone from the northern zone of the State.
The group tipped the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar from the northern zone of the State as properly fit to fly the governorship flag of APC in 2027 and urged him to aspire for the plum job.
Abudullahi Usman Matori, a chieftain of the APC and an elder statesman, speaking in the meeting on Monday, maintained that Bauch South has been producing governors since 1999 and it would be justified that the narrative should change in 2027 in the interest of justice and fairness.
He urged the party to work with other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the northern zone produce the next governor as the State was not meant to be governed by people from the Southern zone alone.
“Our concern now is to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure success of Tuggar candidature in the APC and how the party will win the seat,” he said.
“For political fairness and inclusivity, the next Governor of the State should come from another zone, particularly the Bauchi North Zone, the seat is not for Bauchi South alone”.
He further adduced reasons for the choice of President Bola Tinubu’s Minister as saying that there was need to focus of the realization of Kafin Zaki Dam, exploration of oil in Kolmani, completion of the Waya Hydro power dam and other developmental projects which he added were strategic to the economic prosperity of the nation and the State.
Another Speaker, Bala Juwara and other stakeholders who spoke on the pedigree of Yusuf Maitama Tuggar were unanimous on his capacity to govern the State.
According to him, “Yusuf Maitama Tuggar in all the political offices he has held from Member of Representatives, Ambassador and presently, Minister has done so well for every segment of the State though he is from the Bauchi North Senatorial Zone.”
He urged members of the Group to embark on door to door consultantion and mobilization to ensure that he answered the call and declare interest in the gubernatorial ticket of the APC.
Also speaking, a former Chairperson of Bogoro LGC, Hon Simon Taimako commended the leadership of the group particularly in regards to uniting the people of the State irrespective of ethno-religious and political differences.
He declared his support for the call on Maitama Tuggar to aspire for the APC gubernatorial ticket stressing that he is the most qualified among the aspirants so far.
In her contribution, Hajiya Maimuna joined the call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs to declare his aspirations for the gubernatorial ticket of the APC for 2027 stressing that he is most qualified for the seat.
She however lamented that women should not be neglected after the objective must have been achieved assuring that women will embark on massive mobilization to ensure that the Minister answered the call.
Chairman of Bauchi South Concern Citizens Movement, Musa G Khalid explained that the movement was formed in order to promote unity and peaceful coexistence in the State through relationship.
He stressed that, it is only fair to allow other zones of the State, particularly the North to produce the next Governor of the state stating that the Bauchi South Senatorial District has produced all the Governors since 1999.
Musa Khalid stressed that the person fitted for the gubernatorial ticket of the APC in 2027 is Yusuf Maitama Tuggar considering the fact that he is loved by all segments of the State.
According to him, “We in the group are convinced that Maitama Tuggar is most qualified to govern Bauchi State, his political pedigree is unequalled among his counterparts.”
The Coalition for Good Governance and Transparency in Nigeria, in partnership with Advocates for Social Justice, has accused some political actors—both past and present—from Benue State of orchestrating the persistent insecurity plaguing the state.
Speaking during a world press conference held in Abuja on Sunday, the group’s Chief Convener, Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, alleged that the security crisis intensified following a judgment by the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal in favor of elected councilors from seven local government areas in the Benue North West Senatorial District (Zone B).
According to Ude-Umanta, certain politicians, angered by the tribunal’s ruling, are inciting violence in the state and attempting to extend the unrest to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He claimed that these individuals aim to destabilize the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and undermine democratic institutions.
The group, however, called on security agencies to go after serial killers, and investigate cult groups and other actors being used to perpetrate violence in the state.
“Since the day the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal delivered judgment in favour of the elected councilors from the seven local government areas of Benue North West Senatorial District, zone B, hell has been let loose in Benue. Everyday, there are pockets of killings which we believe are being sponsored by some national assembly members who constitute themselves as enemies of the State.
“It is worrisome that people who are elected to serve the people are the ones also killing them indirectly, just to score political points. What will the people gain if they continue to lose their loved ones because you want a state of emergency declared in your own State. These rascals must be stopped. Do they think that Nigerians would fold their arms and watch these few elements pull down the Country?
“We call on the security agencies to immediately go after the serial killers in Benue state. Street and campus cults are being used while they would blame it on the State Governor for failing to provide security even though they know fully well that the State Governors do not have control over security matters in Nigeria but the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“These same characters will boldly tell the world that they are supporting Mr President yet, they are bastardizing his administration and secretly sponsoring insecurity in Benue State.
“We wish to raise this alarm, and calling on all relevant security agencies that some disgruntled persons from Benue State, among them is a former APC Chairman, some serving National Assembly members and some appointees of Mr. President are currently mobilising more than twenty thousand people for a protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja in a bid to cause another chaos in the country. This must not be allowed.
“They orchestrated pockets of killings in Benue and they want to amplify it in the FCT through a mass protest and cause civil unrest in the Nigeria seat of power. The security agencies should immediately investigate and charge anyone found involved with treasonable felony, no matter how highly placed they are before it is too late.
“We urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to watch his back as the people in question are around the government and they have access to funds and could do anything just to prove a point. Mr President sir, your enemies are within you but you shall overcome all animosity. They are people who have access to security and huge stolen funds which could be used against anyone or authority.
“Mr. President must know that his government is being attacked by the same people he appointed into sensitive positions, in the guise of getting at the Executive Governor of Benue State, the working governor.
“We know and they know, that the only thing they could do is to cause civil unrest and cause more death and hardship on Benue communities and Nigeria at large just to give the government a bad image.
“The Inspector General of Police must not take this information for granted as the days are near. The Police must be seen working just like the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria is working.
“To this end, we call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately deflate the powers in Abuja backing civil unrest in Benue State even if they are top government officials in the Renewed Hope Administration”, the group stated.
The group also criticized the judiciary, alleging judicial misconduct by Justice Maurice Ikpambese, Chief Judge of Benue State, and Justice M.M. Adamu of the FCT High Court. They accused the judges of issuing conflicting and controversial rulings on the relocation of the Benue Local Government Election Tribunal to Abuja, in contravention of Benue electoral laws.
The group said it is assured that its petition against the judges is receiving attention.
Ude-Umanta commended some members of the tribunal, particularly Justice D.E. Igoh, Evelyn Ngodoo Esq., and Adamu Stephen Jime Esq., for upholding judicial integrity despite political pressure.
Contrary to reports circulating in some sections of the media, approximately 1,630 delegates have converged on Awka, Anambra State, to elect the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the November 8 governorship election.
Most of the accredited delegates were already in place Saturday evening, awaiting the commencement of voting.
Initially, seven aspirants purchased the party’s nomination and expression of interest forms. However, by 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, only four remained in the race.
The remaining contenders include Hon. Nicholas Ukachukwu, Chief Valentine Ozigbo, Engr. Johnbosco Onunkwo, and Hon. Edozie Madu.
According to official statements, three aspirants—Hon. Chukwuma Umoeji, Sir Paul Chukwuma, and Prof. Obiora Okonkwo—have withdrawn from the contest.
Earlier in the day, the Chairman of the Anambra Governorship Primary Election Committee and Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, held a series of strategy meetings with sub-committees to ensure a smooth and transparent exercise.
A Saturday evening visit to the election venue at Dr. Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre revealed a peaceful atmosphere, with delegates arriving in an orderly manner and security personnel strategically positioned across the area.
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