Wike, Bauchi gov’s face-off splits PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party’s National Working Committee has factionalized as a result of the crisis in Rivers State and the conflict between the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, according to Saturday PUNCH.

Since taking over after Senator Iyorchia Ayu was dismissed by a court, the party’s factional acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, has faced rising internal criticism, leading to calls for his resignation.

The controversy erupted after Damagum and other NWC members, in favor of Wike, obtained consent for contentious PDP Congresses in Rivers State and moved the National Executive Committee meeting from September 26 to October 24.

The underlying rivalry between Wike and the current Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, heated up on August 24 when PDP governors openly supported their Rivers counterpart and called for a review of state congresses.

Wike responded on August 31 by threatening to disrupt activity in the governors’ states if they continued to intervene in Rivers State affairs, but the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bauchi State governor, condemned Wike’s threats as reckless on September 3.

Meanwhile, Fubara monitored local government elections on October 5, defeating Wike’s campaign because 22 of the 23 newly elected chairmen were from the Action Peoples Party.

However, in a surprising decision, the NWC suspended its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), according to a statement issued by the party’s National Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, on Friday.

On September 3, The PUNCH exclusively reported that Ologunagba and Ajibade (SAN) led the NWC group that persistently opposed Damagum’s efforts to give over leadership of the PDP to Wike, particularly on matters in Rivers State.

The statement read in part, “The National Working Committee of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, arising from its 593rd meeting today, Thursday, October 10, 2024, has directed the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, to step aside, respectively.”

“As a result, the NWC constituted a committee to be chaired by the Deputy National Chairman (South), H.E. Amb. Taofeek Arapaja, to investigate the issues raised against the officers in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Party.”

“Following the NWC’s decision, it authorized their respective deputies (DNPS and DNLA) to resume office in an acting capacity beginning Friday, October 11, 2014, pending the Committee’s inquiry. The team consists of “Ibrahim Abdullahi Manga, Esq, Acting National Publicity Secretary, and Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha, Acting National Legal Adviser”.

Moments later, a statement issued by Ologunagba on Friday announced that the NWC had suspended Damagum and National Secretary Sen. Samuel Anyanwu for suspected PDP treachery.

The Ologunagba faction of the NWC also named National Treasurer Yayari Ahmed Mohammed as acting National Chairman.

The statement read in part, “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has extensively considered the series of complaints raised against the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Illiya Damagum, and National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, particularly about the letter addressed by them to the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/PH/307/2024 against the Party’s position in the case involving the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who vacated theirs

“The NWC condemned the Acting National Chairman and National Secretary’s anti-party activity, which is a clear violation of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and their oath of office.”

“Consequently, the NWC, under Sections 57, 58, and 59 of the PDP Constitution, has suspended Amb. Illiya Damagum and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as Acting National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party respectively and referred them to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action.

“Following the suspension of His Excellency, Amb. Illiya Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of our great Party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party, the National Working Committee has approved the appointment of Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed as the Acting National Chairman.”

Saturday PUNCH learned that Wike directed his supporters in the NWC led by Damagum to suspend Ologunagba and Ajibade (SAN) for opposing his interests in Rivers State and obstructing his control of the party structure at the national.

A senior NWC member from Mohammed’s faction, speaking anonymously, stated that Ologunagba and Ajibade (SAN) were suspended not only for the Rivers issue but also for their consistent criticism of Damagum’s management of party funds.

The source stated, “The NWC has been divided for a while. The division was largely caused by Wike and Fubara’s conflict over Rivers structure. But the division became known to the public on Thursday after the rancorous NWC meeting.”

In a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Ibrahim Abdullahi, the acting National Publicity Secretary of the Damagum faction, also confirmed that the suspension of Ajibade and Ologunagba is linked to the Rivers crisis.

Abdullahi clarified that the Damagum-led NWC is following Wike’s agenda and denied allegations that they were financially incentivized to suspend those individuals.

Abdullahi, reading a statement signed by Anyanwu, explained that Ajibade and Ologunba were suspended due to allegations of abuse of office, insubordination, and failure to follow the directives of the NWC.

In response to the suspensions from both factions, the PDP Board of Trustees urged the factional members of the National Working Committee to restore the previous state of affairs.

PDP BoT Chairman Sen. Adolphus Wabara, who stated this in a statement on Friday, urged the factional NWC to sheath their swords and de-escalate the tension.

Wabara asserted that the Board of Trustees is fully dedicated to fostering peace, unity, and progress within the PDP.