As the internal crisis of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) persists, the “integrity” faction of the party on Friday afternoon announced the appointment of Yayari Ahmed Mohammed as the new acting National Chairman of the party.
The faction announced the new National chairmanship appointment despite the court order restraining the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party from suspending its acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
The media earlier reported that the court order was sequel to response to a suit filed by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina, who challenged the party’s plans to remove Damagum.
The media also reported that a factional National Working Committee of PDP suspended Damagum and the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu over allegations of anti-party activities.
The suspension came as the internal crisis of the party deepened following an earlier suspension of the party’s National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade and National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba on similar grounds by a faction loyal to Damagum.
But in a new development, Ologunagba announced on Friday that Damagum and Anyanwu had been suspended.
However, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday issued an order restraining the suspension of Damagum.
Justice Lifu ruled that Damagum should remain the party’s national chairman until the national convention scheduled for December 2025, Channels Television reports.
But Ologunagba who is representing the “integrity group” in a statement issued on Friday afternoon stated that Mohammed’s appointment takes effect immediately and aligns with the PDP’s amended constitution from 2017.
The statement read, in part: “Following the suspension of His Excellency, Ambassador Illiya Damagum as Acting National Chairman of our great party, the PDP, the National Working Committee (NWC) has approved the appointment of Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed as Acting National Chairman.
“This appointment, which takes immediate effect, is in accordance with the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).”
Ologunagba in the statement also urged all party organs, leaders, stakeholders, and members to stay focused during this challenging period, particularly as the NWC prepares for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 24, 2024.
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