The crisis rocking Peoples Democratic has worsened with the emergence of two factions of the party’s National Working Committee.

Both factions have issued separate statements suspending key officers of the NWC.

A faction of the NWC had, in a statement by the party’s national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, on Friday, suspended the acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, and national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for alleged anti-party activities.

However, another faction of the NWC loyal to Damagum later on Friday also announced the suspension of the national legal adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, and Ologunagba for alleged disloyalty to the party.

Mr Ologunagba, in the statement he had earlier issued, announced the suspension of Damagum and Anyanwu, saying that they had been referred to the party’s national disciplinary committee.

He said that the decision of the NWC followed the report of anti-party activity by Messrs Damagum and Anyanwu.

Mr Ologunagba further stated that the PDP’s NWC extensively considered the series of complaints raised against the two national officers.

“This is particularly with regard to the letter addressed by them to the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/PH/307/2024 against the party’s position in the case involving the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who vacated their seats upon decamping from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The NWC condemned this anti-party activity of the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary, which is in gross violation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and their Oath of Office.

“Consequently, the NWC, pursuant to Sections 57, 58 and 59 of the PDP Constitution, has suspended Damagum and Anyanwu as acting National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party, respectively and referred them to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action,” he said.

Mr Ologunagba said that the two officials had been suspended from all meetings, activities and programmes of the NWC pending the conclusion of an investigation by the party’s national disciplinary committee.

Meanwhile, another NWC faction, backing Mr Damagum, also announced the suspension of Ologunagba and Ajibade.

The PDP National Director of Publicity, Chinwe Nnorom, who made this known in a statement issued on Friday, said that the party had established a committee to investigate the concerns raised against the officers in accordance with the party’s constitution.

According to him, the committee is headed by the Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja.

“As a result, the NWC constituted a committee to be chaired by the Deputy National Chairman (South), H.E. Amb. Taofeek Arapaja, to investigate the issues raised against the officers in compliance with the provisions of the constitution of the party.

“Following the NWC’s decision, it directed their respective deputies (DNPS) and (DNLA) to assume office in acting capacity with effect from Friday, October 11, 2024, pending the conclusion of an investigation by the committee,” he said.

Mr Nnorom named the officers Ibrahim Manga, acting national publicity secretary, and Okechukwu Osuoha, acting national legal adviser.

“The NWC enjoins all leaders, critical stakeholders, teeming members and supporters of our great party to remain focused and committed as it pilots the day-to-day affairs of the PDP for its greater good,” he said. 

(NAN)