Fresh facts about how former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar’s strategy to replace the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Umar Damagum, with a candidate from the North Central collapsed have emerged.
Saturday Vanguard learnt that Damagum’s supporters who are predominantly loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, promoted the narrative that pending litigation would frustrate moves to replace him.
In response, the Atiku team weighed in on former National Chairman, Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu, who had a pending matter against the party to withdraw it. He did.
Ayu was in court challenging his removal from office. His action was celebrated as a victory because it was interpreted to mean the removal of legal impediments for his replacement from his zone.
The permutation was that, either former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, a former PDP Deputy National Secretary, Emmanuel Agbo, both from Benue State, or the party’s Nasarawa State Governorship candidate in the 2023 elections, Dr. David Umbugadu, would be nominated. This didn’t happen.
National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, gave the party’s official explanation for the decision to stay action on the issue of Damagum’s replacement.
Ologunagba said, “Our party emphasizes the need for reconciliation and stability within the party at this time . Therefore, the issue of the National Chairman Damagum, has been deferred to the next NEC meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for August 15,2014.”
However, findings by Saturday Vanguard revealed Atiku’s loyalists pushing for Damagum’s removal, ignored certain details while planning.
They either inadvertently or conveniently allowed fifth columnists working at the behest of Atiku’s arch rival, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, blind-side them.
A high ranking party leader who pleaded anonymity for fear of retribution said, “With all the media bliss around agitations for a candidate from the North Cental, there was nothing before our governors forum, caucus or NEC to suggest seriousness.
The zone ought to have informed us in writing about their desire to fill a vacancy created by Ayu’s exit. This was not done.
“Whoever is advising them also failed to take into account provisions of Section 45(2) of our party constitution (As amended in 2017), which talks about resignation or removal of national officers.
“It reads: In the case of the National Chairman, he shall hand over to the Deputy National Chairman from his own region/ part of the country who shall without prejudice to Section 47 (6) of this Constitution, act as National Chairman pending the election of a replacement.”
Recall, when Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu, was to be elected National Chairman, he was presented and taken round by the then Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, a prominent member of the Wike-led group of five (G-5) governors.
He succeed in selling Ayu to party stakeholders first in his zone, then nationally.
However, this time, according to the party stalwart,”They (the Atiku camp) made the right noises in the media but were unable to properly mobilize.
“They also failed to take into account the tension built around the controversial list of Caretaker Committee members list in many states. “On this score, once Damagum committed to effecting the necessary corrections to the list, the governors handed him the opportunity for redemption.”
The source also explained that it would be foolhardy to discountenance Wike’s influence.
This, he said ,was because, “apart from our 13 governors, if taken together, there is no individual within our party today who has the capacity to dispense patronage in cash and kind like Wike for obvious reasons.
“At the Caucus meeting proper the pros and cons of Damagum’s removal were discussed. It was agreed that he stays but that the issue should not be included on the agenda. That is why you didn’t see it on the agenda of the NEC meeting.”
Wike worked against Atiku in the Presidential election and is now ensuring the Waziri doesn’t control the party. He leads in the party, it appears, for now.
The Rivers State affair
Another party source who was at the pre- National Caucus meeting between Governors and the Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC), late on Wednesday, revealed that the issue of the list especially in the case of Rivers State led to a shouting match.
The source said, “Tempers rose, voices were raised, tables were struck but no one slapped anyone.
“The National Organising Secretary Capt. Umar Bature and the team that prepared the list was tongue-lashed for failing to properly consult with state governors before publishing the list.
“When the case of Rivers was tabled, Governor Similaye Fubura didn’t mince words in rejecting the list.
“He found strong allies among his fellow governors especially the chairman, Bala Mohammed, Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri and Governor Sheriff of Delta State.
“The NWC was subsequently mandated to find ‘a political solution’ to the concerns raised by the governor and immediately announce same to the public “
Wike’s triumphant entry at NEC
Obviously aware of his camp gaining grounds at the state of the struggle, the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, came for the NEC meeting with his full paraphernalia of office complete with official convoy of vehicles with sirens blaring after the commencement of the meeting.
Before this time, the Commissioner of Police in Charge of the FCT, Ben Igwe, led a combined team of armed security personnel made up of: Policemen, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Immigration Service as well as operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), to cordon off streets leading into and out of the PDP National Secretariat.
Several armored personnel carriers as well as truck loads of fully kitted riot policemen were stationed in strategic locations around the vicinity.
The heavy security presence led to a diversion of traffic which in turn led to traffic congestion which stretched from the popular Sky Memorial Complex up to Berger Roundabout.
Praise singers, hangers on and vendors of snacks and drinks who usually add colour during such events were restricted to area far away from the meeting venue.
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