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By Myke Agunwa, Abuja
The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new twist on Saturday as a faction of the National Working Committee (NWC) loyal to the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, announced the suspension of the National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, and five other top officers.
This dramatic move came barely hours after a group within the same NWC led by the National Chairman, Amb. Damagum suspended Anyanwu along with the National Legal Adviser, Deputy National Legal Adviser, and the National Organizing Secretary and others for 30 days over alleged anti-party activities.
That earlier suspension was announced by a faction of the NWC believed to be loyal to Damagum and backed by the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde.
The conflict intensified after the Federal High Court in Abuja halted the PDP’s planned national convention earlier scheduled for November 15–16 in Ibadan. The ruling, delivered by Justice James Omotosho, threw the party into further disarray, with both factions interpreting the judgment in their favour.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Senator Anyanwu who is believed to have the backing of Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, said he summoned an emergency NWC meeting following reports of his own suspension by a rival group “who met illegally and purported to suspend the National Secretary of the party.” He described the earlier action against him as “a social media drama staged by those working to destroy the PDP from within.”
According to him, the emergency meeting became necessary to restore order and prevent what he described as “the total collapse of the party’s structure under the current leadership.”
“First of all, we want to commend the judiciary over the judgment of yesterday, which is a victory for the entire PDP family. It is a judgment against impunity and illegality. Nobody can claim personal victory from it,” Anyanwu said, referring to Friday’s Federal High Court ruling which nullified some actions taken by the Damagum-led NWC.
At the end of the emergency meeting, the Anyanwu-led faction announced the suspension of Ambassador Iliya Damagum as acting National Chairman of the PDP, citing “incompetence, misappropriation of party funds, and disobedience of court judgments.”
He accused Damagum of shielding “expelled members” and ignoring valid court orders, a situation he said had worsened internal divisions and caused several governors and leaders to defect from the party.
“On this note, after our emergency meeting, we decided as a party to suspend Ambassador Damagum for incompetence, misappropriation of party funds, and flagrant disobedience of court judgments,” he declared.
Also suspended were the Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba; the National Financial Secretary Hon. Daniel Woyegikuro; the National Youth Leader, Mohammed Kadede; and the Deputy National Secretary Arc Koshedo Setonji.
According to him, all those affected have been referred to the party’s Disciplinary Committee for further action and may face expulsion if found guilty.
He alleged that the National Financial Secretary, Woyegikuro diverted funds realized from the sale of forms for recent congresses into “two separate private accounts,” while accusing Ologunagba of issuing unauthorized press statements that worsened the PDP’s public image.
“The youth leader has been inactive and disconnected from the youth wing of our party. The youth leaders across the country have expressed no confidence in him. He has therefore been suspended for 30 days,” Anyanwu added.
In Damagum’s absence, the faction directed the National Vice Chairman (North Central) Hon. Abdulraham Mohammed to assume the role of Acting National Chairman, while the party’s Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, was asked to take over communication duties from Ologunagba.
Despite the escalating tension, Anyanwu expressed optimism that the PDP would overcome its current troubles.
“The party is strong, and we believe in its unity and survival. The judgment of yesterday confirmed the reason why this suspension should be effective,” he said.