Governors elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have waded into the leadership crisis in the party, urging the feuding parties to sheath their swords.
The governors who met virtually on Monday night, nullified the suspension and counter suspension by factions that emerged last Friday, and called on them to maintained the status quo ante.
The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Senator Bala Mohammed, who read a communiqué at the end of the meeting, declared, “There is no faction; everything has reverted to the status quo under acting Chairman Damagum, pending the time the governors and other organs of the party will sit down and resolve all the issues.”
The National Working Committee (NWC) headed by Ambassador Umar Damagum, had on Friday, announced the suspension of the National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade, and the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, for abuse of office.
The duo in a counter move, announced the suspension of Damagum and the National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and named Alhaji Yayari Ahmed who is the National Treasurer, as acting Chairman.
But Mohammed who is also governor of Bauchi State, said “all the suspensions you heard about have been resolved by the governors, the NWC, the caucus of the National Assembly, and the BoT.
“Both parties have agreed that, in the interest of the party and Nigeria, we should return to the status quo before the suspension and counter-suspension.
“These suspensions have been lifted; there are no more suspensions. That is the resolution of the PDP Governors’ Forum.
“There is no party that does not have problems. Some of them are legal, and we do not want to preempt the outcome of legal procedures.”
The party had been barred by the court, from removing Damagum as acting National Chairman until PDP holds national convention in December next year.
Damagum who also attended the meeting, accused “some people” of attempt to take advantage of the crisis to sow seed of discord in the party.
“There is no crisis in the party, as far as I am concerned,” he said, and urged journalists “not to escalate things even where there is no crisis.
“As far as I am concerned, the governors are our leaders and critical organs of this party, and when they speak, we must look at it holistically and also abide by it.”
Meanwhile, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled on October 24 seems uncertain, as Governor Mohammed disclosed, “The governors, BoT, and NWC will sit down and discuss the sanctity of the October 24 NEC meeting.”
