Embattled Damishi Sango resigns as Plateau PDP chairman


The Plateau state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Damishi Sango, Thursday, resigned as the chairman of the party.

The former Minister of Sports, who handed over to his deputy, Hon Amos Gombi, after months of running battle with some stakeholders, however pledged his loyalty to the party.

Sango opted to resign following a meeting at the party’s secretariat, saying: “In line with provisions of the party’s constitution, my deputy, Hon. Amos Gombi shall be Acting Chairman. The group of sixteen have written to the NWC as resolved.

“I have been communicated by the NWC accordingly and I have also written to the NWC; the sequence of events is now complete: I am formally stepping aside as the State Chairman of our great party”, he said.

The former went into memory lane on the crises that had rocked the party and efforts made both the state and national levels to resolve them.

“You are aware that since April this year, the state chapter of our great party has been rocked by a tsunami-like crisis that has threatened its very existence as one united political party.

“This followed my purported suspension along with my deputy as Chair and deputy, respectively, by some members of the executive committee on trumped-up allegations of mismanaging funds meant for the party’s logistics arrangements in the 2019 presidential election in the State.

 “Following the unfortunate incident, determined to resolve the crisis and get the chapter moving again, the national leadership of the Party, led by Prince Uche Secondus, set a three-man committee, under the chairmanship of Senator David Mark, to look into the said allegations and advise it accordingly.

 “The Senator Mark-led committee swung into action immediately, having an interface with individuals and different stakeholder groups within the Party in the State, including Senators Ibrahim Mantu, Jonah Jang and Jeremiah Useni; former Speakers of the State House of Assembly; sitting members of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly.

“The three wise persons, after a painstaking exercise, dutifully submitted their report to the National Working Committee (NWC). On receipt of the report, an interactive meeting between the NWC and selected stakeholders from the state was convened at the Legacy House, Abuja by the National Chairman.

“At that August meeting, the National Chairman communicated the following, which were adopted as resolutions: The Senator Mark Committee did not find me guilty of any financial impropriety, and so I was exonerated of all allegations against me.

“Pursuant to my being exonerated, the group of sixteen executive committee members should write to the NWC, withdrawing their allegations; Upon the withdrawal of the allegations, in consideration of the fact that there’s bad blood between me and most of my colleagues in the executive committee, particularly the group of sixteen, and to pave way for peace in the state chapter, I should step aside as chairman.”

He urged stakeholders, members and supporters of the party to rally round the acting chairman and ensure the PDP returns to winning ways.

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