Damagum disowns Wike’s South-South Congress

…says PDP remains the party to beat in 2027 general election

The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Damagum, has disowned the South-South Zonal Congress organised by loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in Calabar, Cross River State, on February 22.

Damagum made this declaration during the inauguration of the South-South Zonal Caretaker Committee in Abuja, stressing that the PDP had not conducted any official congress in the South-South zone, as the tenure of the previous executives had only recently expired. He emphasised that the party is yet to conduct zonal congresses and has established a caretaker committee to manage the affairs of the zone until a formal election is held.

“This is a very important occasion, and I want to use this opportunity to make it clear that, as far as the PDP is concerned, no election has taken place in the South-South,” Damagum stated.

“The tenure of the zonal committee has expired, and we still have a few weeks or about a month before conducting the zonal congresses. In the meantime, we found it necessary to set up this caretaker committee.”

He urged party leaders to remain firm and resist the temptation to align with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that the PDP remains the best choice for Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to Damagum, the PDP’s longevity and experience over the last 27 years offer the best guarantee for real change.

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“I want to remind Nigerians that the PDP is still the party to beat. We are one of the oldest and most experienced parties, tested over 27 years,” he said.

“Unlike the APC and other parties that are less than a decade old, the PDP has stood the test of time. If a party has survived for 27 years and is still going strong, that is the best guarantee Nigerians have for real change.”

Damagum expressed disappointment over some party leaders allegedly supporting the current administration out of fear. “No one can determine your destiny but yourself. I have noticed that some leaders, perhaps out of fear, seem to be supporting the present administration at the center. I find that very disappointing. We must stand firm and tell ourselves the truth. Nigerians deserve better, and we must not be intimidated,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the newly inaugurated committee, Chairman Emmanuel Ogidi expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve and promised to carry out the committee’s duties impartially.

“On behalf of the committee, I want to thank God Almighty and the National Working Committee for entrusting us with this responsibility. We assure you that, by God’s grace, we will carry out our duties diligently and impartially. We will follow the chairman’s guidance and work in the best interest of the party,” Ogidi stated.

With the PDP leadership reaffirming its commitment to internal democracy, the party’s focus now shifts to organising a credible and transparent zonal congress in the South-South.