Acting PDP chair plans meeting with G-5 govs

Forum 11 months ago

Acting PDP chair plans meeting with G-5 govs

Ahead of the National Executive Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, the acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, is set to meet with the G-5 governors in a bid to bring them back to the party’s fold.

The group, also known as Integrity Group, comprises Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that Damagum, who shortly after his emergence, reversed the suspension slammed on some chieftains of the party, including former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, and former governor Ibrahim Shema, among others, told his close ally that while he remained in the saddle, no effort would be spared to bring back all aggrieved members regardless of how long they had stayed away from the PDP.

Wike and his colleagues moved against the suspended national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, who was accused of failing to keep his promise to quit his position if a northern candidate emerged as the party’s presidential flagbearer for the 2023 general elections.

Consequently, the governors withdrew their membership of the presidential campaign council of the party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and rebuffed all entreaties by various organs of the party to sheathe their sword.

“The acting national chairman is very calm and knows exactly what he wants for the party and the governors appreciate this. He knows that the lifting of the suspension on some of the former governors is not enough.

“He is not happy with the past relationship between the leadership of the party and the aggrieved governors and for this reason, Damagum will interface with them very soon before our NEC meeting,” the source said.

The party official added, “The chairman will meet with them and convince them to attend the NEC meeting once a date is agreed on, but let’s not forget that the crisis last time was not just about those governors.

Welcoming the news of the imminent interface, a former national secretary of the party, Senator Ibrahim Tsauri, said Damagum, “being a very focused and soft leader, has done the right thing.”

According to him, “The PDP needs peace because even as we are out of power, ours is still the only democratic party in the country. Damagum is quite different from Ayu. Ayu is rigid. Damagum is soft and flexible.

“When people in a family disagree, they make time to reconcile and that is what the acting national chairman is about to do. We are fully behind him.”

Tsauri, however, cautioned the Rivers State governor against considering a defection from the PDP.

“Wike’s body is in the PDP but his soul seems to have left the party. He was against Ayu but why has he not returned to the party now that Ayu has stepped aside?

“Wike should be careful because the APC will teach him the lesson of his life. Nigerians are watching him. If he wants to defect, he must first remember that the PDP is his home.”