In a stunning escalation of Nigeria’s opposition crisis, a Wike-aligned faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) has suspended acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum and five top officials, installing North Central Vice Chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman as replacement.
The dramatic move, announced Saturday by suspended National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu in Abuja, deepens rifts fueled by Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike’s power tussle with PDP brass.
“Unfortunately, some people may say that the National Secretary, National Organising Secretary who has the responsibility of monitoring everything and the National Legal Adviser, who is responsible for all legal issues, were purportedly suspended,” Anyanwu told reporters.
“On this note, we decided to suspend the National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Ilya Damagum, for incompetence, financial misconduct, and disregard for court judgment. He has been suspended for one month and should face the Disciplinary Committee.”
Anyanwu detailed further suspensions: “Secondly, we also suspended the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, for issuing statements without the party’s approval, and the Deputy National Vice Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, has also been suspended.”
National Financial Secretary Daniel Woyenguikoro faced financial misconduct charges, while Youth Leader Sulaiman Kadade and Deputy Secretary Setonji Koshoedo got 30-day bans. “All of them will be sent to the Disciplinary Committee to show cause why they should not be expelled,” he added.
“Therefore, we are announcing the National Vice Chairman (North Central) to serve as the Acting National Chairman, Mohammed Abdulrahman,” Anyanwu declared.
This retaliation follows Friday’s Federal High Court ruling halting PDP’s national convention – branded “an assault on Nigeria’s democratic process” by Ologunagba – and an emergency NWC meeting suspending Anyanwu, Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), and others. “The NWC… came to the following conclusion: [they] have been suspended for one month and referred to the PDP Disciplinary Committee,” Ologunagba stated.
As factions vie for control ahead of leadership polls, PDP’s unity hangs by a thread, exposing vulnerabilities for 2027 polls.