By Abiola Olawale
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has downplayed the development that erupted in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday.
Mohammed, who also doubles as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, also dismissed speculations of internal divisions within the party.
During a stakeholders meeting of the PDP held at the weekend , the Bauchi governor emphasized the party’s cohesiveness, stating that there are no internal factions within the organization.
His words: “I would say that we have met and discussed these situations extensively with the acting National Chairman and we have agreed to work together along with other party organs—the BOT, members of the Governors’ Forum, caucuses of the Senate and the House—to resolve all these issues and that is the major takeaway of this visit.
“We will deepen stakeholding, and collaboration so that all these issues that are disparaging the members of the party will be resolved and nipped in the bud.”
“We have decided that henceforth, we will not allow a gap and we will make sure that we resolve all these issues.
“We are not recognising any faction; we are together as a body, and, at the end of the day, we will resolve all issues.”
Mohammed assured that the PDP is actively working towards resolving internal issues through collaboration among key party stakeholders.
According to him, the final decision does not rest on him alone but on other members who are stakeholders within the PDP Governors’ Forum, the Board of Trustees (BOT), the caucus, and other high-ranking party members.
He further noted that consultations with his fellow PDP governors are ongoing to determine the next steps.
“This has been a productive outing, and I am assured that the party will come together to resolve all contending issues. We have agreed, in the presence of other stakeholders, that we will do whatever it takes to restore the party’s glory so it can achieve victory in the 2027 elections,” Mohammed declared.
It would be recalled that the PDP has been embroiled in a web of suspensions and counter-suspensions since early Friday.Just-suspended National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement he issued on Friday, also announced the suspension of the party’s acting National Chairman, Illiya Damagum and the national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.
Ologunagba proclaimed that the suspension followed due process and was in line with the PDP laid down protocols.
The statement issued by Ologunagba reads in part: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has extensively considered the series of complaints raised against the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Illiya Damagum and National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu particularly the letter addressed by them to the Court of Appeal in Appeal No:CA/PH/307/2024 against the party’s position in the case involving the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who vacated their seats upon decamping from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The NWC condemned this anti-party activity of the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary which is in gross violation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and their Oath of Office.
“Consequently, the NWC, puunderections 57, 58 and 59 of the PDP Constitution, has suspended Amb. Illiya Damagum and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as Acting National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party, respectively, and referred them to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action.”
However, in a separate statement released by Damagum’s faction, it was announced that Damagum had been suspended.
The statement reads in part: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) arising from its 593rd Meeting today, Thursday, October 10, 2024, has directed the National Publicity Secretary (NPS), Hon Debo Ologunagba and National Legal Adviser (NLA), Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, to step aside.
“As a result, the NWC constituted a committee to be chaired by the Deputy National Chairman (South) H.E. Amb. Taofeek Arapaja, to investigate the issues raised against the officers in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Party.”
