There is heightened tension in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting slated forThursday. The NEC is the second highest organ of the opposition party, after the National Convention.
The NEC meeting, which is the first in the last 19 months, is expected to take far-reaching decisions on issues affecting the party, including the appointment of a substantive national chairman to replace former Senate president, Iyorchia Ayu.
Expectedly, in the run-up to the meeting, supporters of former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have renewed their supremacy battle over the control of the PDP, ahead of the 2023 general election.
Atiku and Wike fell out prior to the 2023 general election, in the aftermath of the nomination of former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as PDP vice presidential candidate and refusal of Ayu to vacate his position as demanded by the G-5, led by the FCT minister.
Ayu was elected on October 31, 2021 but the party appointed the deputy national chairman from Kebbi State, Umar Damagum, on March 28, 2023 to act as its national chairman. Damagum took over from Ayu after he was barred by a Benue court from his position.
While the Atiku camp is pushing for the immediate appointment of a substantive national chairman, to take over from Umar Damagum, who have been occupying the office in acting capacity, since the ouster of Ayu as national chairman, last year, Wike’s supporters, including some governors and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) wants Damagum to be confirmed as substantive national chairman.
Daily Sun gathered that lately, PDP stakeholders in the North Central, where Ayu hails from, have been insisting the zone must produce his replacement in line with the opposition party’s constitution.
Already, no fewer than three aspirants, including former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam; former PDP deputy national secretary, Emmanuel Agbo and the opposition party’s Nasarawa State 2023 governorship candidate, David Ombugadu, from the North Central have indicated interest to serve as the next PDP national chairman. Although there has been a subtle campaign for former Senate president, Bukola Saraki, to emerge the next PDP national chairman, Daily Sun gathered that Kwara State already has a representative in the NWC.
Also, Daily Sun gathered that there are overtures to former Senate president, David Mark, to serve as the PDP chairman. Nevertheless, Mark is said to be very reluctant for many personal reasons.
