Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Umar Damagum, has asked security agencies to go after the National Treasurer, Yayari Mohammed, who is parading himself as Factional National Chairman.
Damagum also urged the operatives to secure the PDP national secretariat in Abuja and enforce the rule of law.
The acting National Chairman stated that Mohammed and his supporters were trampling on the PDP constitution and judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Recall that the court had recognized him as the authentic acting National Chairman of PDP.
“In the face of this reckless violation of a subsisting court order, we are hereby left with no option but to deploy the services of security agencies. We urged them to enforce the rule of law,” Mohammed.
Damagun, who spoke with reporters in Abuja, reaffirmed his status as the interim National Chairman. He, however, warned Mohammed against the violation of a court order.
Recall that Mohammed on Sunday announced that he had assumed office as acting National Chairman.
According to him, we had begun preparation for the October 24 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party.
Mohammed also called on the Northcentral zone to forward names of nominees for the National Chairmanship seat.
“To douse tension in the party, the Governors’ Forum and Board of Trustees (BoT) have called for calm. They warned against the escalation of the crisis and called for unity.
Speaking through the acting National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Manga, Damagum lamented Mohammed and his co-travellers posturing. He described the factional acting National Chairman as adopting a ‘motor park approach’ to the crisis in the party.
In a speech titled: “For the sake of PDP, Caution,” Damagum stated that the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade remained suspended. He urged them to use this period of suspension for genuine repentance.
On the subsisting Federal High Court, Abuja, judgment that no organ of the party should tamper with his position as National Chairman till December next year, Damagum said Mohammed, Ologunagba and Ajibade risked committing contempt of the court.
Recall that the leadership crisis in PDP escalated at the weekend. This is following the suspension of Ologunagba and Ajibade by National Working Committee, NWC.
However, in a countermove, the suspended party officers also announced the suspension of Damagum and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu.
But reacting to the development, Damagum chided Mohammed and the suspended officers for vituperations against the corporate existence of PDP. He stated that their actions are condemnable.
Damagum, therefore, warned that efforts should be made to prevent the destruction of the party through avoidable conflicts.
Quoting former United States President John Kennedy “leadership and learning are indispensable to each other,” Damagum stated that party actions should not be guided by ‘sentiments and personal interest.’ But by the constitution and other extant guidelines.
The National Chairman explained that the decision to suspend the officers was taken at the 593rd NWC meeting held on October 10 at the party secretariat.
He explained that following their suspension, Manga and Okechukwu Osuoha, who were their deputies, started acting in their capacities.
Damagum stated that their suspension was to allow the four-man NWC Investigation Committee, led by Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, to investigate the allegations of “abuse of office and insubordination” levelled against the duo.
Other members of the Committee are Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Kosheodo, National Treasurer, Yayari Ahmed, and National Auditor Daniel Obi Okechukwu.
According to the acting National Chairman, “since the duo are lawyers, who had previously participated in the processes leading to the suspension of other officers, they should know better how to preserve the “sanctity of the party.”
“Why kill our great party due to the collective decision of your colleagues against your actions. And instead of availing yourselves of the Investigation Committee’s window to be exonerated or otherwise?”
He insisted that the acting National Publicity Secretary and Acting National Adviser can act based on the provisions of sections 40(2) and 42(2) of the PDP Constitution.
Damagum, however, thanked the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and other party leaders for their intervention in the crisis.
source: The Nation
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