The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has escalated, with a faction of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) announcing the suspension of the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu. The suspension was confirmed on Friday, with the officials accused of disloyalty to the party.
This move follows an earlier announcement by a faction aligned with Damagum, which suspended the party’s National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, and National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, also citing disloyalty.
In a statement issued by Ologunagba on Friday, the NWC faction justified the suspension of Damagum and Anyanwu by pointing to their involvement in a letter addressed to the Court of Appeal, regarding a case involving 27 former PDP members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. These members had vacated their seats after defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The statement noted that Damagum and Anyanwu’s actions were seen as a violation of the PDP Constitution and their Oath of Office. The NWC condemned this as an act of anti-party activity and referred the duo to the National Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.
Pending the outcome of the investigation, Damagum and Anyanwu have been suspended from all NWC meetings, activities, and programs, intensifying the already tense situation within the party. This development highlights the deepening factionalism within the PDP, as it continues to grapple with internal power struggles.
