The crisis within Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalated on Friday as the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) suspended Acting National Chairman Iliya Damagum and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu over allegations of anti-party activities.
In a statement issued by PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, the suspension was attributed to actions by the two leaders, including a letter they allegedly sent to the Court of Appeal in a case involving 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
These lawmakers had defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC), leading to legal proceedings over their seats.
The NWC condemned the actions of Damagum and Anyanwu, citing violations of the PDP Constitution and their oath of office.
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The statement emphasized that their conduct was inconsistent with the party’s position, prompting the decision to suspend them from all party activities pending an investigation by the National Disciplinary Committee.
In a counter move, another statement from Ibrahim Abdullahi Manga, acting as the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, announced the suspension of Ologunagba and the party’s National Legal Adviser, accusing them of insubordination.
The statement declared that deputies would assume their responsibilities in the interim.
The deepening internal conflict underscores the factional divisions within the PDP, further complicating efforts to maintain unity ahead of the next election cycle.
(Edited by Oludare Mayowa; omayowa@globalfinancialdigest.com; Newsroom: +234 8033 964 138)
