Barring any last-minute changes, the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Working Committee and the Governors Forum are scheduled to hold a strategic meeting on May 11 to address the wave of defections and other challenges facing the party.
A trusted senior member of the NWC, who requested to remain anonymous due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, said the governors are scheduled to meet with the party leadership on May 11.
The source stated that the meeting will focus on strategies to prevent certain members from leaving the party, the issue of the National Secretary, and other matters impacting the party.
This is as the PDP NWC instructed its Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN, to take legal action in court regarding the defection of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and other elected officials.
Recall that on April 23rd, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, along with his predecessor and PDP’s 2023 vice presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa, as well as other elected party members from the state, officially defected to the All Progressives Congress.
The source stated that the outcome of the meeting between the Governors Forum and NWC members will play a crucial role in determining the party’s future direction.
He stated, “The meetings took considerable time because many issues were discussed. We reviewed various matters affecting the party, and Senator Samuel Anyanwu was present and addressed the NWC meeting.
“Some NWC members who couldn’t attend in person joined virtually, making the discussion comprehensive – particularly on the recent defections. After reviewing all the circumstances surrounding the defections of Okowa and the Delta State Governor, we concluded that their actions were motivated by personal interests.
“The party leadership has treated them fairly, so their defection came as a surprise. We agreed to hold a meeting with the governors on May 11 at a yet-to-be-determined venue to further deliberate on the defections.
“Regarding the National Secretary issue, we resolved to adopt the governors’ recommendations. However, most of us also noted that their stance complicates the matter, as the Supreme Court’s ruling favors Anyanwu. These issues, along with the defections and others, will be revisited during the meeting with the governors. Nonetheless, we are all committed to working together in unity.”
While addressing journalists after the 600th NWC meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum stressed that the party’s interests would not be surrendered to its rivals.
Damagum confirmed that the PDP NWC is united and cautioned against using it as a reason for defection.
He stated, “I want to ask our teeming supporters to support the party. We may have our issues. But, the beauty of this party is that it has always resolved its crisis.
“We have also instructed the National Legal Adviser to recover our mandate that they have taken away in Delta. The fortune of this party cannot be just left in the hands of our adversaries, so we will take legal action to retrieve those mandates, as far as the Electoral Act states that whenever you leave, you must leave the chair that you have occupied. So we are going to still do that.
“And I also want to warn that party faithful should be faithful to the party. As you can see, we have an NWC that is devoid of any crisis. If somebody is looking for an excuse in order to justify whatever stupidity he wants to do, he should not say the party is divided.The party is intact. It will continue to live.
“So, I want to say here unequivocally that PDP is one of the most important parties, and it will continue – it will continue – to be one indivisible party. And no amount of intimidation or mischief can bring down this party.
“It has survived all sorts of machinations in the past, and this one is just child’s play. We’ve all seen it already crossed the line. We’re looking forward to 2027, where the country will speak based on the existing hardship that has been deliberately imposed on people.”
Punch
