As the Ondo State governorship election draw near, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dey face serious internal crises that threaten their chances of winning. The party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, who take over after the court suspend the former Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, in March 2023, dey under heavy pressure to resign.
The tension inside the party start when some members accuse Damagum of not implementing necessary reforms. Things get worse when 60 members of the House of Representatives call for his resignation, demanding a new chairman from the North Central region. The House minority caucus, led by Kingsley Chinda, distance themselves from this faction, saying it no be recognised within parliament.
The division clear during a recent gathering of the PDP caucus, where lawmakers sharply divide between those supporting Damagum and those opposing him. The primary objective of the pre-NEC meeting—to endorse Damagum with a vote of confidence by lawmakers aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike—no go as planned.
North-East governors within the PDP endorse Damagum to remain in office until Ayu’s tenure officially expire, but the North Central leadership begin seeking a replacement for him ahead of the 99th NEC meeting. PDP stalwart, Dino Melaye, also accuse Damagum, National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, and National Organising Secretary Umar Bature of ruining the party.
Despite the pressures, Damagum insist say no one fit force him to step down. Four governors, led by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, align with Wike, resisting Damagum’s removal. These governors include Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), and Agbu Kefas (Taraba). Meanwhile, two governors—Peter Mbah of Enugu and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara—remain neutral.
The party begin reconciliation efforts, but some see this as more of a tactical manoeuvre than a sincere truce, with the primary goal of securing victory in the upcoming Ondo State governorship election. The Lagos State PDP Vice Chairman, Tai Benedict, say the party had been facing a lot of problems under the acting national chairman and that resolving the conflicts by October 24 would benefit the party.
