Governors elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set to meet today to address the growing leadership crisis that threatens to fracture the party. This comes after a series of suspensions and counter-suspensions of top party officials that have thrown the PDP into disarray.
The crisis intensified on Friday when the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, suspended National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba and National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN. In a swift response, the Ajibade faction suspended Damagum and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, further exacerbating the internal strife.
Despite a court order restraining the party from removing Damagum, a faction loyal to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar installed Alhaji Yayari Mohammed as a new factional National Chairman on Sunday. Mohammed assumed office backed by six governors, while Damagum, a loyalist of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has the support of four governors. Two of the thirteen PDP governors remain neutral.
The emergency meeting is critical to resolving the growing divisions within the party. The inability of the governors to find a peaceful solution may lead to a more profound crisis, with far-reaching consequences for the PDP’s future, particularly as the party seeks to strengthen its opposition stance after the 2023 general elections.
This ongoing turmoil has highlighted the deepening fault lines within the PDP, with factions aligned with either Wike or Atiku vying for dominance. The outcome of the meeting could set the tone for the party’s direction in the coming months, as stakeholders watch closely for any potential breakthroughs.
