The governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have reportedly decided to appoint a new national chairman from the North-Central region, effectively leaving out the current acting chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagum.
This move comes as the party seeks to address ongoing internal conflicts and stabilize itself ahead of the upcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for October 24.
Among the leading candidates for the position are former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, the Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum.
Sources within the party indicate that the governors are aiming to select a neutral candidate who is not affiliated with any existing factions, in hopes of fostering unity within the party.
This development follows requests from ex-officio NEC members for the meeting to proceed, allowing discontented members to express their grievances and restore order.
In a statement, the PDP ex-officio members of NEC expressed their concern over the recent troubling developments within the party’s upper echelons. They warned that such events could undermine the very foundation of the party.
“The primary aim of our founding fathers was to promote democratic principles and good governance for the Nigerian populace, and that mission remains unchanged,” they noted.
As critical members of the NEC, they urged the party leadership to ensure that the scheduled NEC meeting on October 24 takes place, providing an opportunity for aggrieved members to be heard.
The statement emphasized, “Our Party’s Constitution clearly stipulates the importance of the NEC, mandating that it meet at least once every quarter. Failure to do so allows two-thirds of members to summon an emergency meeting.”
They lamented the party’s failure to comply with its constitutional provisions, which could have resolved many of the ongoing issues.