Angered by the dwindling fortunes of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), two former National officers of the party have called for the head of the Acting National Chairman of PDP, Ambassador Umar Ilyasu Damagum.
They are the ex-National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan and the former National Adviser of the party, Emmanuel Enoidem, SAN, who are hotly canvassing for the sack of Damagum and National Working Committee (NWC) of the party for their ambivalent role in the party.
Already, Damagum is alleged to have had a secret meeting with President Bola Tinubu, a claim that has sparked internal party discontent.
Ologbondiyan who raised the alarm alleged that Damagum was about to snuff life out of the PDP unless the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 28 elect a substantive National Chairman from the North Central as directed by Section 47 (6) of the party’s Constitution (2017 Amendment).
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Ologbondiyan, who stated this while interfacing with the G12-Renaissance Group of the PDP in Abuja, on Sunday, said the consistent losses of the party in the off-season elections reflected the dismal performance of Damagum.
Expressing concern at the party’s loss in Saturday’s Ondo State Governorship election, Ologbondiyan insisted that if a substantive National Chairman is not restored for the party, successive off-season elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun may suffer the fate of Kogi, Imo and Ondo States.
“It is reprehensible that the Acting National Chairman is supervising the dishevelling of the party,” he added.
“Amb. Damagum has the least of interest in working for the success of the party in any election,” he further noted.
Recalling the allegation against Damagum in the public space in which he was alleged to have met with President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in London, Ologbondiyan challenged the embattled Acting National Chairman to speak up.
“How can the head of the leading opposition party be accused of Nicodemusly meeting with the President of the ruling government, and he would have no response to provide?”
Ologbondiyan urged the party leaders to rescue the PDP from the stranglehold of Damagum and his backers, if the party must be revitalised to perform optimally as opposition political party.
Towing the same line, Enoidem said ‘‘Anyone who thinks or believes that the current PDP national leadership especially the present NWC is doing well is extremely being economical with the truth. We cannot build our party with untruths, half truths and or outright falsehoods.
Enoidem who wrote on his X timeline on Monday noted ‘‘Every sincere and conscientious member of the party today is aware that the party is passing through a phase akin to what happened under the watch of Ali Modu Sheriff.
‘‘Ali Modu was foisted on the party by Wike less we forget. The party is obviously facing an existential threat of very dangerous dimensions.’’
He queried ‘‘On what grounds should we have the National Chairman and Secretary of PDP write letters to the court/court of appeal to withdraw cases/appeals that seek to protect the interests of the party against the position taken by National Legal Adviser who is constitutionally authorised to defend the interests of the party, its organs and officers. It smacks of frontal and violent assaults on the clear provisions of the Constitution of the party.’’
Enoidem argued that ‘‘The National chairman and secretary of PDP or any member of the NWC of the party have no justification in failing to take all steps necessary to protect the Governor of Rivers State from the 27 roguish members of the Rivers State house of assembly loyal to Wike who openly defected to the APC.
‘‘There is no reason why the national chairman and secretary of PDP or any other member of the NWC should openly fraternise with Wike who has openly antagonised the party in uncountable ways and manners.
‘‘Can we in all honesty support the NWC in their decision to handover the structure of the party in virtually all states to Wike and his cohorts given his ambivalence, shenanigans and open campaigns against the party.
‘‘Anyone who denies knowledge of this truth has either an outrightly death, wounded, mortgaged and or anaemic conscience. We must search our individual conscience in our relationship and support for the party,’’ the legal practitioner added.
