According to the report from the Sun News, The recent attempt to remove Umar Damagum as acting chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting was reportedly thwarted due to the reluctance of governors affiliated with the party. This move, aimed at effecting a leadership change, faced resistance as the governors expressed concerns regarding the potential fallout of such a decision.
According to a reliable party source, the governors feared that any mismanagement of the leadership transition could lead to a severe crisis within the party. The governors, particularly those elected on the PDP platform, showed a lack of enthusiasm towards replacing Damagum as acting national chairman, signaling their preference for party stability over abrupt leadership changes.
Following a meeting of the PDP Governors Forum, chaired by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, it was made clear that the governors did not deliberate on altering the party's leadership structure. This indication of support for Damagum emerged amidst with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.
Atiku's supporters advocated for the appointment of a substantive national chairman to succeed Damagum, who assumed the interim leadership position after Senator Iyorchia Ayu's removal as chairman. On the other hand, Wike's allies pushed for Damagum to retain his position or for an alternative candidate to be appointed as chairman, reflecting the internal power struggles within the party.
The underlying tensions between Atiku and Wike, exacerbated by past disagreements over political appointments, intensified as both factions prepared for the upcoming party elections. However, the PDP's NEC meeting decided to postpone the selection of a new national chairman until a later session scheduled tentatively for August.
Emphasizing the governors' priority on maintaining party cohesion, the source highlighted the governors' view that the party's stability superseded any immediate leadership changes. In a political landscape where other parties like the Labour Party (LP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) face internal crises, the governors aimed to learn from these situations to safeguard the PDP from potential instability.
"The governors were more interested in party stability. If you look at LP, they are in crisis. In APC, there is a crisis too. PDP is where you have a semblance of political stability. They (governors) believed if the Damagum issue was not well managed, it could degenerate, and the party could be plunged into a crisis," the source explained. "Essentially, they wanted to ensure everyone is on the same page. The governors believed that the stability of the party is more important than any other thing they are talking about; looking at what has happened in LP. They looked at what is happening in LP and APC to guide us."
In light of these developments, the PDP continues to navigate internal dynamics as it strives to maintain its political foothold amidst competing interests and looming party elections.