ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is presently embroiled in a crisis over the legal battle between Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and the 27 sacked House of Assembly lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike on one hand and the recent congresses held in states on the other hand.
Recall that at the weekend, opposition federal lawmakers led Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere had accused the acting National Chairman of PDP, Amb. Umar Damagum, and the National Secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu, of aiding the sacked 27 Pro-Wike lawmakers to have upper hand against Governor Fubara in the ongoing legal battle in the state.
The crisis, it was gathered, has taken another dimension, as Damagum, the National Organizing Secretary, Captain Umar Bature, have been accused of altering results of the recent congresses held in states.
Damagum and Anyanwu have also been accused of writing to the appeal court in Rivers State on the ongoing legal battle, insisting that the party would remain on an appeal over the embattled 27 lawmakers in Rivers State contrary to the position of the party’s National Legal Adviser, Mr. Ajibade (SAN).
The case, marked PHC/2177/ CS/2024, centres on a dispute over the defection of 27 PDP members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 11, 2023.
Speaking on this Rivers issue as a guest on Arise TV, the former spokesman of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that the party’s national chairman breached the party’s constitution by taking that action without recourse to the national legal adviser who, he said, is empowered by Section 42 (1) to nominate legal representation for the party.
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Ologbondiyan said: “When I first saw that letter I couldn’t believe it because it was unthinkable that the acting national chairman and national secretary of our party will write a letter even in contravention of Section 42 (1) of the party’s constitution which confers the authority to nominate legal representation on any national legal matter on the national legal adviser. That the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Illiya Damagum and Senator Anyanwu will institute a letter to the Court of Appeal, I didn’t believe it. But 24 hours have since passed and I am like, what kind of a huge embarrassment is this, what kind of disgust is this?
“But that is where we have found our party. And I didn’t even find it strange especially as the Benue chapter of our party, that High Chief Sesgu Angba is coming out to give a narration of what is happening nearly every state of the federation where processes of congresses are being manipulated by the organising secretary, Capt Bature, Damagum and Senator Anyanwu.
“I really don’t understand what the purpose of all this is meant to achieve but this is totally worrisome. And since yesterday, party leaders are all making calls and talking to each other, asking is this the end? Is this where this leadership is taking us to.
“I have said in your morning programme before that it is strange and unbelievable that the acting national chairman of the party is in court against the working committee which he presides, in court against the National Executive Committee, in court against the Board of Trustees.
“So he is in court against all the organs of the party just because he wants to sit tight and not return to his position as acting chairman.”
The former National Publicity Secretary pointed out that Damagum is playing the script of Wike. This is even as he accused the acting national chairman of unilaterally altering the party’s timetable for the congresses, which extended the holding of a NEC meeting till September.
He said: “In the circumstance that the party has found itself I think that what can happen now is for other members who do not believe in the actions and activities of the acting national chairman and the national secretary, who do not support the contravention of Section 42(1) to immediately invoke a National Working Committee meeting and pass a vote of no confidence on Damagum and Anyanwu, that is what party members expect.”
Recall that the opposition lawmakers had at the weekend described Damagum and Anyanwu’s action as a calculated attempt to weaken the PDP from inside and undermine its legal standing in a high-profile court case that will see pro-Wike sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers gaining legal ground to attempt to force PDP government out of office in Rivers State.
The lawmakers had said Damagun and Anyawu opposed the PDP national legal adviser’s move to ensure that the pro-Wike sacked APC lawmakers who decamped from PDP are neutralised and stopped from doing any harm to PDP interest and possible removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara-led Rivers government.
The lawmakers led by Ugochinyere alleged that the PDP acting chairman and secretary are working in favour of the pro- Wike APC sacked lawmakers to help them regain lost legitimacy to aid them make another attempt towards their impossible dream of removal of their own PDP Gov Fubara led Rivers government.
