The crises rocking the People Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Tuesday, as the faction led by Bala Mohammed, the Bauchi State governor and chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, initiated a legal action to hold the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
A chieftain of the PDP, Imam Awal, who filed the case on behalf of Bala Mohammed, at the Federal High Court, Gusau, Zamfara State, is seeking to nullify all actions taken by Iliya Damagum, the acting national chairman of the party.
BusinessDay gathered that the group approached the Zamfara High Court, seeking an ex-parte order to convene the party’s NEC meeting, earlier scheduled for Thursday, October 24, 2024.
The move followed an earlier order by the Federal High Court Abuja, barring the party from removing Iliya Damagum, as the acting national chairman.
The battle for the soul of the party has divided the PDP Governors Forum, with Oyo, Plateau, Adamawa and Taraba, said to be working for Damagum group, while others, led by Bala Mohammed are said to be working to remove Damagum as the party’s national chairman.
Sources close to the party told BusinessDay that while the Damagum loyalists are also sympathetic to Nyesom Wike’s camp, the others are in support of the emergence of Gabriel Suswam, as the party’s interim chairman who will serve until the party’s national convention scheduled for December, 2025.
BusinessDay also gathered that the Governors Forum is expected to hold a stormy meeting as part of the preparation for Thursday’s NEC meeting.
Read also: PDP Governors resolve crises, restore suspended members
Those opposed to Damagum continued stay as acting chairman, argue that being from the North-East, he is denying the North-Central the opportunity to be represented at the NEC.
The action came as the PDP National Reconciliation Committee continued its meeting on Tuesday, with members of the party’s National Working Committee NWC, at the party’s secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
The group is also expected to meet with the members of the National Assembly as part of efforts to strengthen unity among warring factions, ahead of Thursday’s NEC meeting.
Olagunsoye Oyinlola, chairman of the committee, explained that they “had useful discussions with them and I think there are suggestions that we have our party to unite are the main formidable.”
He assured that the committee would bring all warring factions together and strengthen the party, ahead of the 2027 general election.
“We are aware that for any party to be able to go into battle and win, that party must be united. And that’s what we are going for.”
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