The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently holding a high-stakes meeting in Abuja, chaired by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum. This crucial gathering comes at a time when the party is entangled in internal leadership battles, factional disputes, and allegations of betrayal that threaten its stability ahead of the 2027 elections.
Ambassador Umar Damagum, who took over as Acting National Chairman in March 2023 following the suspension of Iyorchia Ayu, has been at the center of intense scrutiny. His tenure has been fraught with accusations of anti-party activities, internal revolts, and a leadership legitimacy crisis.
In October 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a restraining order preventing the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) from removing Damagum before the next national convention in December 2025. The court’s ruling underscored concerns over regional balance of power within the PDP, warning that any attempt to unseat him outside constitutional guidelines could further fracture the party.
Despite this judicial shield, opposition against Damagum continues to mount. In April 2024, 60 PDP lawmakers in the House of Representatives openly accused him of colluding with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to weaken the PDP from within.
“We currently have in the PDP a national leadership that is in bed with the APC and is working extremely hard to hand over the party to the APC,” stated Ikenga Ugochinyere, a federal lawmaker representing Ideato Federal Constituency.
Tensions escalated further in November 2024 when reports surfaced alleging that Damagum held a secret meeting with President Bola Tinubu. The revelation sent shockwaves through the PDP, fueling suspicions that the acting chairman was actively compromising the party’s interests in favor of the APC.
Adding to the crisis, multiple PDP governors are reportedly against Damagum’s continued leadership, deepening the cracks within the party’s power structure.
The turmoil reached another boiling point on February 12, 2025, when the PDP NWC convened to deliberate on the party’s National Secretary position. A memo submitted by Damagum on February 11, 2025, sought clarity on the legal status of the office.
The NWC reviewed several key legal documents, including:
The Declaratory Judgment of the High Court of Enugu,
The Court of Appeal judgment affirming Rt. Hon. S.K.E Udeh Okoye as the PDP’s National Secretary,
Legal opinions from Dr. Kabiru T. Turaki (SAN) and the PDP’s National Legal Adviser.
Following extensive deliberations, the NWC unanimously recognized and confirmed Okoye as the party’s substantive National Secretary. In a statement issued by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the party emphasized that its decision was in full compliance with the Court of Appeal’s judgment.
“There is no subsisting or superseding Judgment or Order from any Court of superior authority or hierarchy,” the statement read.
To solidify its position, the PDP NWC has initiated the formal transmission of its resolution to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant bodies for official recognition.
The PDP’s internal crisis continues to threaten its cohesion as party stakeholders remain deeply divided over Damagum’s leadership. With growing dissent among lawmakers, governors, and party members, the road to the 2027 general elections is shaping up to be one of the most turbulent in the PDP’s history.
Will Damagum survive the storm, or is the PDP heading for an all-out leadership battle? The unfolding events in the coming weeks will determine the future of Nigeria’s leading opposition party.
PIONEER NEWS 