October 11, 2024
This is not the best of times for the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, following the counter suspension orders issued by factions of the National Working Committee, NWC.
While a faction of the NWC led by the Ag. National Chairman, Umar Damagum, yesterday announced the suspension of the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, for alleged insurbordination.
A press statement signed by the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, Manga read: “Arising from its 593rd meeting,10th October, 2024, the National Working Committee has suspended the National Publicity Secretary and the National Legal Adviser of the Party, pending the determination of allegations of DISLOYALTY and INSUBORDINATION levelled against the duo.
“In the meantime,the Deputies in the respective Directorates, Ibrahim Abdullahi and Barr Okechukwu Osuoha, have stepped-in in acting capacity.
The alleged suspended National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba and the National Legal Adviser, have countered the purported suspension with their own statement suspending the Ag. National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum and National Secretary, Senator Samual Anyanwu.
READ MORE; APPOINTMENT OF YAYARI AHMED MOHAMMED AS PDP ACTING NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
Their own statement read: “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 with regard to 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 their seats upon decamping from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The NWC condemned this anti-party activity of the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary which is in gross violation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and their Oath of Office.
“Consequently, the NWC, pursuant to 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.
“In the meantime, the two officials are suspended from all meetings, activities and programs of the NWC pending the conclusion of investigation by the National Disciplinary Committee.”
The party’s Board of Trustees BoT, had earlier advised all party members of the party to endeavour to appear before the party’s disciplinary committee should they be summoned.
Chairman of the BoT, Senator Adolphus Wabara , had at the 78th meeting of the board urged the NWC to expediate action and ensure that the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, meets on October 24th as scheduled to iron out various issues confronting the party.
