The governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have urged Ambassador Illiya Damagum, who is currently serving as the party’s acting national chairman, to quickly convene the NEC.
The governors, who are part of the PDP Governors Forum, reaffirmed their party allegiance following yesterday’s meeting in Abuja.
Remember that Segun Sowunmi, a major player in the PDP and a candidate for governor of Ogun State in the next 2023 election, has filed a lawsuit against the party’s national executive committee (NEC) for failing to call a meeting.
It has been more than a year and three months since the last meeting of the NEC, the PDP chieftain said, drawing attention to the time that has elapsed since the removal of the previous chairman, Iyoricha Ayu.
The PDP constitution specifies that the National Executive Committee (NEC), which is second only to the national convention in terms of power, must convene at least once every three months.
“The meeting further reviewed recent developments in the Peoples Democratic Party and committed to leading efforts to revamp and reposition the party to serve as an effective opposition to the ruling Party in Nigeria,” said Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi State and chairman of the PDP forum, in a statement yesterday.
“Furthermore, the Forum passed a vote of confidence in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) led by Iliya Damagum and urged it to quickly set in motion the machinery for convening meetings of the appropriate organs, from Caucus to NEC.”
The governors issued a statement denying any rift within the PDP in response to the controversy surrounding the ward congresses held by the Edo State chapter in the lead-up to the party’s primary.
You may remember that a few disgruntled candidates had threatened to sue because of what they saw as problems in the process.
“You can see that there is no rancor, there is no division. We are very much behind the National Workings Committee, the state chapter of the party, and indeed the governor to make sure that we go together in unison to produce a successor for the most respected eldest governor in the governors forum,” Mohammed insisted, adding, “But we are 100 percent behind Edo.”
Held in the governor’s lodge in Oyo State, the gathering drew every PDP governor with the exception of those from Akwa-Ibom Ibom and Osun States.