The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has escalated, as the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) suspended Acting National Chairman Amb. Umar Damagum and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu over alleged anti-party activities.
The decision was made during an emergency NWC meeting in Abuja, which concluded in the early hours of Friday. This move follows accusations of misconduct related to a letter sent to the Court of Appeal by the two officials. The letter allegedly opposed the party’s stance in a case involving 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Confirming the development, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, issued a statement at 3:18 a.m., explaining that the NWC deemed the actions of Damagum and Anyanwu a violation of the PDP Constitution and their Oath of Office.
In his statement, Ologunagba said: “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.”
The NWC, citing Sections 57, 58, and 59 of the PDP Constitution, has suspended both Damagum and Anyanwu from all party activities and referred them to the National Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT) has emphasized the importance of cooperation with the party’s disciplinary processes. At its 78th meeting, BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara urged the NWC to ensure that the National Executive Committee (NEC) convenes as planned on October 24 for further deliberations.
