The internal wrangling within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) exploded into open warfare on Saturday, as a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, announced the suspension of the party’s Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and five other senior members of the National Working Committee (NWC).
The move came only hours after Damagum’s own faction suspended Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the party’s National Secretary, along with three others, deepening fears of a full-scale collapse in the opposition party’s leadership.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Senator Anyanwu, who was earlier suspended by the Damagum-led NWC, said the counter-suspensions were necessary to “restore order, integrity, and constitutional discipline” within the PDP.
In a statement read on behalf of his faction, Anyanwu accused Damagum of incompetence, financial misconduct, and disregard for court judgements.
Anyanwu declared: “On this note, we decided to suspend the National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Ilya Damagum, for incompetence, financial misconduct, and disregard for court judgements.
“He has been suspended for one month and referred to the Disciplinary Committee.”
The faction also announced the appointment of Mohammed Abdulrahman, the National Vice Chairman (North Central), as the new Acting National Chairman pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings.
Anyanwu further revealed that other top members of the NWC had been suspended for various alleged infractions.
“The National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, has been suspended for issuing unauthorised statements. The Deputy National Vice Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, and the National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyenguikoro, are also suspended over financial irregularities,” he said.
He added that National Youth Leader Sulaiman Kadade and Deputy National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo were equally suspended for 30 days.
According to Anyanwu, “All of them will appear before the Disciplinary Committee to show cause why they should not be expelled from the party.”
The new wave of suspensions, however, followed an earlier announcement by the Damagum-led NWC, which had declared Anyanwu, National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), and two others suspended in what now appears to be a full-blown battle for control of the PDP.
