PDP crisis: 29 State chairmen endorse Damagum’s leadership
As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) battles to overcome its leadership crisis, 29 state chairmen of the party on Thursday endorsed the leadership of Umar Damagum.
The chairmen gave Damagum their full support at a meeting convened in Abuja.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the chairmen announced their total support for the Damagum-led National Leadership, while dissociating themselves “from the purported Abdurahman leadership” and stated categorically that “the PDP has only one National Chairman — His Excellency, Umar Damagum.”
Tony Aziegbemi, Edo State Chairman/Chairman Forum of PDP State Chairmen, while reading the communique, said “The Forum unequivocally reaffirms its total support, confidence, and loyalty to the National Chairman of our great Party, Umar Damagun, and the entire National Working Committee (NWC).”
The Forum also applauded the judgment delivered by Justice Akintola, of the Ibadan High Court, which they said “has paved the way for the conduct of the forthcoming National Elective Convention scheduled for November 15-16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State.”
The Forum also urged all delegates, as duly recognised and provided for in the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended), to begin preparations in earnest to participate in the convention and to elect credible, competent, and loyal men and women into the National Working Committee.
According to the document, “the Forum commends the effective and collaborative leadership being provided by the National Working Committee under Ambassador Umar Damagun, the PDP Governors’ Forum under His Excellency Senator Bala Mohammed, and the Board of Trustees (BOT) under His Excellency Senator Adolphus Wabara. The Forum notes that this synergy has contributed immensely to stabilising and repositioning the Party.”
They re-emphasised the critical importance of discipline within the Party and calls on all State Chapters not to hesitate in invoking the relevant provisions of the Party Constitution to discipline erring members whose conduct undermines unity, cohesion, and the collective interest of the PDP.
The Forum reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the unity, progress, and electoral success of the PDP across all levels and pledges to continue working closely with the National leadership to strengthen internal democracy and rebuild public confidence in the Party.
Umar Damagum, the PDP national chairman, while speaking earlier, described the challenges facing the party as “good omen.”
“People are saying the PDP is dead. Today, in Nigeria, the story is about PDP. So you don’t say a story of something that does not exist. This is an attestation that PDP is alive. PDP is ready. PDP is a vehicle that knows how to navigate the challenges within our fold and also solve the challenges that is bedeviling us in this country.”
He however, used the opportunity to, “call on our colleagues that the devil is using, to see wisdom in casting the devil in them because treachery, especially to an institution that has made you what you are today, will not heal.
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“You may be lucky now, but there is law of Karma. What goes around comes around. I think it is not late to see the need to do justice to this party that has given you all. Sometimes, when I resort to the ways of God, people thought it is weakness.
“We exist because God exists. We owe everything that we do to him. He is watching us. He will judge us by our behavior. I will leave this on this note. They say a word is enough for us.
“I also want to use this opportunity to call on all that matters in this country to know that every citizen of this country has a right to be. Every citizen of this country has a right to aspire, has a right to explore whatever way he feels he wants to exercise his right. To those that think humiliation, intimidation and harassment will deter citizens, they are just jesters.
“This country belongs to all of us. We are law abiding citizen. We continue to pursue our dreams in a lawful manner.
“We will not be intimidated by anyone that feels because God has given him the opportunity. It is a temporary one. And one day, everyone that does what is not right will be at the front.
“I invoke God here to look at us, look at our behaviours and do justice according to the way and manner we behave,” he said.
