Rita Odafe
Removal of Acting National Chairman by PDP Governors and NWC
Iliya Umar Damagum
The governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) along with the National Working Committee (NWC) have jointly decided to remove Iliya Umar Damagum from his acting role as the National Chairman.
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who chairs the PDP Governors’ Forum, announced this decision following a meeting with the NWC on Tuesday evening.
Damagum, a close ally of Nyesom Wike, the current Federal Capital Territory Minister, took over the acting chairman role after Iyorchia Ayu’s removal in June 2023.
Governor Mohammed described the ongoing leadership issues in the party, saying that allowing Damagum to continue in his position is a “constitutional mistake.” He asserted that the PDP constitution requires any vacant leadership role to be filled by someone from the same region as the previous office holder. Accordingly, the North Central zone should be the one to appoint a new chairman, given that Ayu came from there.
He noted that the North Central has been eager to reclaim the chairmanship and that the party is committed to facilitating this change, enabling the region to finish Ayu’s term.
Referencing historical context, Governor Mohammed recalled that the North East had a similar situation when former Governor Ahmadu Muazu stepped in as National Chairman after Alhaji Bamanga Tukur resigned.
He remarked, “My colleague from the North East is currently acting as National Chairman, which is not constitutionally sound because any vacancy in a leadership role should revert to its original region.”
“We recognize that the North Central is seeking this opportunity, and we are cooperating to assure they take on this role within the party leadership.
“The North East has previously benefited from similar constitutional provisions after Tukur’s resignation, which showcases that this is not a contentious issue by the grace of God.”
