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By Myke Agunwa
The Acting National Chairman of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amb Umar Damagum has washed his hands off the party’s inability to sanction or expell Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and other members working against the interest of the party.
Damagum said that though he believes in instilling discipline in the party, he is not in a hurry to show erring members the exit door less he wakes up one day to realize that everyone but him have abandoned PDP.
The PDP had in August, 2023, appointed former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, as the chairman of a 25-member National Reconciliation Committee, charged with the task of looking at the issues that led to the nose dive of the fortunes of the PDP in the 2023 election and recommending appropriate disciplinary measures.
The committee during its meeting in February 2024, summoned the party’s National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu and former governor of Benue State Dr. Samuel Ortom who are both allies of the FCT Minister.
The Acting National Chairman who spoke on BBC Hausa programme, Gane Mana Hanya on Saturday, stated stressed that the reconciliation committee received over 40 petitions which could have tackles the crisis but they glossed over them but held unto the one written against the party’s National Secretary.
“The committee was handed over 40 petitions that needed attention but it only chose to act on that of the national secretary. If the committee had acted on those petitions, maybe we would not be here today,” he said.
Damagum stressed that there were enough reasons to have expelled Wike and others from the party but those who were in position to do so at that time refused to act due to reasons best known to them and are now putting pressure on him.
He said that Wike had very close relationship with several members of the party even before he became the acting chairman.
“Before I knew him, many of those people had known him and had relationship with him. They were enjoying his magnanimity. My only sin to them is that I came at a time when their relationship had collapsed.
“This same man never hid his intent even before the 2023 general election. We advised then that the five of them should be expelled from the party but nothing was done until the elections came and gone. They succeeded in setting the party back with the things they did.
“Now that I am leading the party, they are putting pressure on me to expel him. My own is that, I want peace in the party, by the time you keep expelling members rather than peaceful resolution of issues, one day you will wake up and no more people in the party” Damagum stated.
The PDP boss added that when the “FCT minister singlehandedly brought the embattled Rivers State governor as the candidate of the PDP, nobody asked him how he did it. Now, there is a problem between them, how do you expect the party or myself to come in.”
He reiterated that his tenure will make sure that the PDP remains the formidable opposition in the country, as well as ensure that in the next general elections, the party wins the election and returns to power in the country.
He also accused some influential members of the party of not playing their leadership roles well for the good of the party, but rather engage in divisive tendencies thereby plunging the party into more crisis.
He lamented that such persons are feeling like sacred cows that cannot be touched and holding the party to ransom through their negative actions and anti-party activities.
He pointed out that he has remained a loyal and committed party member since he joined PDP.
“Since I joined the PDP in 1998, I have not moved away because I have political discipline and principles. I cannot be jumping from one party to another. I don’t have any reasons to do that.”
Commenting on the gale of defections that recently hit the party he said “there is nothing we can do about it. However, it is going to make the party come out better and stronger than what it is now.
“One thing is that, it is not the number of defections that will make the APC win the 2027 general elections; it is the electorate, Nigerians who will cast votes to elect a president. In 2027, it is President Bola Tinubu versus Nigerians, not the APC,” he stressed.
He stated that those leaving the party have one or two things to hide, adding that they are looking for safe landing from possible persecution or maybe looking for more money in their bank accounts.
As at the time of filling this report, the Reconciliation Committee is yet to submit its report to the National Working Committee for consideration and onward transmission to the National Executive Committee (NEC).