A meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, turned rowdy with the members sharply divided between those in support of the party’s Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum and those against his continued stay as leader of the party.
A group of 60 members of the Caucus, led by Hon. Imo Ikenga Ugochinyere, had recently at a media conference accused Damagum of anti-party activities, and demanded that he resign, or be asked to leave the stage by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party.
The meeting summoned by the leader of the Caucus and Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda ahead of Thursday’s National Executive Committee meeting reportedly had as its main agenda, to pass a vote of confidence on Damagum, being pushed by members of the Caucus, loyal to Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike.
However, it was gathered that the group of over 60 lawmakers under the auspices of Opposition lawmakers coalition maintained their ground that the acting chairman should resign for someone from the North-central zone take over.
While Ugochinyere declined talking to the media after the closed door meeting, a member of his group, who revealed the outcome of the meeting on the condition of anonymity said the move to pass vote of confidence on Damagum failed. “We are glad that the plan of the pro- Wike group supporting Damagum fell like a pack of cards as we refused all entreaties to perpetuate illegality and stoking of crisis in the party. Our position remains that Damagum must go for someone from North-central to take over and complete Ayu’s tenure.
“Our Party needs total overhaul and reformation. We currently have in the PDP, a national leadership that is in bed with the APC and is working extremely hard to hand over the party to the APC….”, the lawmaker stated.
Chinda however told journalists that at the meeting, “We remain united, committed and out to perform our duty on behalf of Nigerians, in the same vein we prayed the security situation in our country and we resolved that we can no longer take the situation where Nigerian is almost tagged one minute silence.
“The government is, therefore, called upon to immediately take steps to ensure the security situation in the country is normalized and the government is also given three months ultimatum to normalize the security situation in our country, after three months, the caucus will take further steps to sensitize and mobilize Nigerians to perhaps, take their security into their hands .
“The House of representatives caucus also agreed to call on all party caucuses,board of trustees, national executive committee and the national working committee of the party to embark on reconciliation measures with a view to resolving all litigations that are pending and hindering the party in any way or whatsoever from having a substantive chairman, we call on our leaders, leaders of the PDP to continue to demonstrate unconditional loyalty to the party and ensure that the party is moved to her pride of place where she enjoyed the position of the largest party in Africa , which is suppose to be our birthright.
“For us we, are going back as we resume the session to commence a purpose-driven opposition to give the people a voice in the parliament. We call on the Senate leadership to make haste to recall or colleague, senior brother, the veteran Abdul Ninigi”.
