The PDP leadership crisis deteriorated as a bot, Ex-Officio clashes with the chairman of acting

The internal crisis in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has increased after a clash that led to a sharp reprimand from the Party Supervisory Board and the National Ex-Offio Forum, which has rejected the recent movement by the Acting Chairperson, Ambassador Umar Damagum.

The essence of the dispute is a meeting of the 1100th National Executive Committee (NEC) scheduled for June 30, which Damagum announced has been canceled and replaced with the National Caucus session. He also stated that Senator Samuel Anyanwu was restored as the National Secretary, a step that had triggered a broad criticism in the party ranks.

In a very statement that was released separately on Thursday, Senator BOT Chairman Adolphus Wabara and the leadership of the Ex-Offio Forum described the Damagum statement as non-constitutional and abuse of position. Bot has insisted that the NEC meeting must run as before.

“The attention of the PDP Supervisory Board has been withdrawn to a statement that is not constitutional by the Acting National Chair … What is intended to cancel the NEC -100 meeting and direct the Senator Samuel Anyanwu to continue as the National Secretary,” said Wabara. “This announcement … null and void and has no effect.”

He added that NEC’s decision, including the resolution at the 99th meeting on May 27, was reunited on June 30, binding all party members and organs. “There are no individuals, including the acting chairman of the national chairman, who has the authority to put aside the resolution.”

The ongoing leadership agreement, which has infected the party since losing the strength of the President in 2015, has returned to questions about the questions of legality and internal processes. While Koshoedo was appointed as Acting National Secretary in an effort to restore order, the Independent National Election Commission (Inec) continues to recognize Senator Anyanwu, deepening confusion.

Inec had previously rejected Damagum’s official notification regarding the June 30 NEC meeting with technical reasons, quoting the absence of mutual signatures needed from the National Chair and National Secretary. This encouraged the response from the Secretary of the National Publicity of the Party, Debo Oologunagba, who argued that Inec did not have the power to regulate party decisions outside of receiving notice.

However, Damagum quickly kept the party away from Oologunagba’s statement, describing it as a person and premature. On Wednesday, the chairman of the Acting Acting openly canceled the NEC meeting and returned Anyanwu, claiming to be broad support from party leadership.

But the claim was immediately debated.

In a dramatic resistance show, 11 out of 19 members of the National Work Committee (NWC) rejected the two steps and vowed to continue with the NEC meeting according to the schedule.

Bot echoed this attitude, warning that Damagum’s unilateral actions threaten party integrity.

“Bot, which becomes the conscience of the party, cannot stand still and witness the party down into chaos through impunity and ignoring constitutional procedures,” said Wabara.

Wali Amanat reiterated the position of Koshoedo as Acting National Secretary “Waiting for a formal decision by the right organs of the party” and urged members to “reject efforts to disrupt the PDP.”

In related development, the PDP National Ex-Officio Forum also expressed disappointment over Damagum’s statement. In the joint communication signed by the Chairman of Faboyede Clement and Comfort Yassan’s secretary, the group called the “embarrassing” press release and the betrayal of the previous NEC resolution.

“We believe the press release of the National Chairperson of Acting is a direct insult to the 99th NEC meeting, which he leads,” Forum said. “The resolution, which accused until June 30, remained sacred and could only be reversed by the National Convention.”

EX-OFFICIO members also discuss controversy about Anyanwu, describing his recovery as a destabilization. “Anyanwu’s problem has caused monumental damage to our party. He has become a national destabilization factor. We fully support the NWC of his non-reinstatement.”