PDP Power Struggle Deepens Over Chairmanship Amid Internal Conflicts

Our reporter

Tensions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continue to escalate as the battle for the national chairmanship intensifies. Despite ongoing efforts by the party’s top leaders to restore stability, the crisis has worsened following recent suspensions within the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

At the centre of the controversy is the push by influential party members for the removal of Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Illiya Damagum.

According to reports from the *Nigerian Tribune*, some founding members, particularly from the North-Central region, are frustrated by what they perceive as a deliberate sidelining of their geopolitical zone in the party’s leadership structure.

These members argue that the PDP’s constitution mandates that the national chairmanship should be zoned to the North-Central.
They are demanding that the seat be returned to the region, fueling the ongoing power struggle that has left the party in a precarious position ahead of critical political moments.

A PDP stalwart, speaking anonymously, revealed that key figures in the National Assembly are also backing efforts to reclaim the position from Damagum, with political actors in the North-Central uniting behind the demand.
“We have only one governor from the North-Central, and our political actors are united in their call for the national chairmanship to return to us,” the source said.

Former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Istifanus Mwansat, has echoed these sentiments, urging party elders to take swift action. “Damagum has overstayed his welcome. The position belongs to the North-Central, and it’s time for our leaders to step up and reclaim it,” Mwansat asserted.

Support for Damagum’s suspension has grown among PDP lawmakers and other party members, who have applauded the NWC’s decision to sideline him and his allies.
These members have also expressed concern about alleged moves by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to establish a one-party state, although they remain hopeful that the PDP will recover under new leadership.

However, a recent court order by Justice Peter Lifu has complicated the matter, restraining the PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) from removing Damagum as acting chairman.
Despite this legal hurdle, PDP spokesperson Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere has argued that the court order came after Damagum’s suspension and therefore does not impact the current situation.

As internal conflicts deepen, Senate Minority Leader Abba Morro disclosed that the PDP’s National Assembly caucus will meet on Wednesday to discuss potential resolutions.
Morro expressed optimism that the impasse, largely a consequence of the 2023 general elections and grievances raised by the G-5 governors, could be settled soon.
“The crisis stems from within our ranks, but we are working towards lasting peace,” Morro stated.

While political figures from regions such as Bauchi, Ekiti, and Anambra have remained silent on the issue, preferring to observe the unfolding events, the Benue State chapter of the PDP has called for the status quo to be maintained until the NEC meeting on October 24.
Conrad Terhide Utaan, one of the aspirants for the national chairmanship, has voiced his support for Damagum’s temporary continuation in the role.

As the October 24 NEC meeting approaches, the PDP finds itself at a critical crossroads, with the resolution of the chairmanship crisis likely to determine the party’s future direction.