Umar Damagum, acting chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has blamed party leaders for exacerbating the ongoing crisis within the party.
Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, Damagum cautioned PDP leaders against prioritising their ambitions over the party’s unity.
He said Nigerians were looking up to the PDP to provide an alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) amid ongoing economic hardship.
Damagum accused party leaders of bypassing his authority by engaging members of the national working committee (NWC) without his knowledge.
“I want to use this opportunity to assure the BoT just like the (BoT) chairman has reiterated: there is a crisis within the national working committee (NWC). It is normal,” he said.
“Unfortunately, I want to say this with a high sense of responsibility, most of these crises that you see today within the NWC are propelled by our leaders who are supposed to unite us.
“It is very unfortunate. I would say it the way it is. We all know the workings of the NWC. Some of you here have been members of the NWC members.
“I’m sitting down here as the chairman only to see my members called by certain leaders to visit certain places without even my knowledge.
“I want to use this opportunity to caution us and our leaders. You may have ambition but you don’t ride on a dead horse to reach your destination.
“If you create a crisis simply to further your ambition, you may get what you want but your dream will not be realised because you have injured the horse you are going to ride to your destination.
“As the conscience (BoT) of this party, some of us are also complicit. We should look inward, and search our conscience. This party is dear to all of us. It is the only thing we have.
“The hope of Nigerians today is in this party. So, we should sheath our swords and work towards uniting ourselves so that they would have a credible vehicle that can challenge what is bedevilling us.”
Damagum said he would do everything possible to ensure the national executive committee (NEC) meeting — the highest decision-making body of our party — is held in February.
“The last meeting we had with the governors, we all agreed that we would have the NEC. And I want to assure you that we would do everything possible to have the NEC this February,” he said.
“You are all aware that we have started the process of zonal congresses. Even at that, I enjoin our leaders to also be mindful of doing anything that can mar these congresses. It is very important to sound this note.
“We have had congresses in almost 28 to 29 states. We have problems in a few states. I think we are getting there.”
‘I’M DISAPPOINTED’
Also, Adolphus Wabara, chairman of the BoT, expressed his disappointment over the crisis in the NWC.
“This meeting comes at a time when the unity, focus, direction and ideals of our great Party are being tested in ways that call for reflection and decisive action,” he said.
“Primarily, let me express my profound disappointment over the crises currently rocking the leadership of the National Working Committee (NWC).
“As elder statesmen and women; leaders who hold the trust of the generality of our party members and the public, it is disheartening that these issues have not been resolved.
“The failure to resolve these internal conflicts undermines the strength and credibility of our party. It is, therefore, imperative that the NWC rises above personal interests and places the survival and progress of our great party above all other considerations.”
Wabara asked the NWC to ensure that the NEC meeting is held in February, saying “party members across the country are in earnest expectation”.
He said the zonal congresses must be free, fair and transparent so that the outcome will “reflect the collective will of our members”.
Wabara said the PDP “remains the hope of Nigerians”, adding that Nigeria has endured years of “suffering under the poor policies” of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Nigerians are looking to us as a beacon of hope, and we cannot afford to let them down. We must rebuild trust and offer a credible alternative that prioritizes the welfare of the people,” he said.
The BoT subsequently went into an executive session after Wabara and Damagum’s remarks.
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