PDP Sets Up Disciplinary Committee To Investigate Allegations Against Damagum

Text of Press Briefing by the PDP Acting National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi Manga, on Monday, 14 October, 2024 in the NWC Hall of the PDP National Secretariat, Abuja.

Gentlemen of the Press, we call you here today to further clarify the ongoing imbroglio in our great Party, the PDP in the past 3 days and to state unequivocally that these acts of vituperation against our Party’s corporate existence are not amusing but condemnable!

This is therefore a clarion call to all concerned to see to it that the PDP is not destroyed due to avoidable conflicts.

To buttress, America’s former president, John F. Kennedy said that, “Leadership and Learning are indispensable to each other.”

Consequently, to improve on our learning process of Party leadership and administration, we must ensure that certain actions are not guided by ‘sentiments and personal interest’ but in compliance with the provisions of the Party’s Constitution and other extant guidelines that interprets all its intent and purposes.

Before I proceed further, please recall that we interacted in this same NWC Hall last Friday being 11th of October, 2024 on my assumption of office as the Acting National Publicity Secretary alongside my colleague, Barr.

Okechukwu Osuoha as the Acting National Legal Adviser, respectively.

As we did explain that day and in addition to the Press Statement released the previous day, the development is in line with the Decision of the 593rd NWC Meeting held on the 10th of October, 2024 in this NWC Hall of our great Party’s National Secretariat.

For emphasis, the NWC Decision had arisen following the temporarily suspension of the National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, to allow the 4-Man NWC Investigation Committee set up under the Chairmanship of Deputy National Chairman (South), H.E. Amb Taofeek Arapaja, to freely investigate the allegations of “abuse of office and insubordination” levelled against the duo.

Other members of the Committee are Deputy National Secretary, Hon Arc Setonji Kosheodo, National Treasurer, Hon Yayari Ahmed, and National Auditor, Sir Daniel Obi Okechukwu.

Is this the First of such incident? A resounding NO!!! For the record, both NWC affected officers are senior lawyers who should know better on how to preserve sanctity of the Organization and have equally participated in the suspension of some of their NWC colleagues in the past.

So, why kill our great Party due to collective decision of your colleagues against your actions instead of availing yourselves of the Investigation Committee’s window to be exonerated or otherwise?

For the avoidance of doubt, let me state at this juncture that the essence of this press briefing is not to delve into the reasons behind the suspension of the duo on whether it is right or wrong but to call for restraint in the interest of our great Party, the PDP, which is the Major Opposition party in Nigeria and the hope of Nigerians for a better tomorrow in view of the APC strangulating, inept and clueless government nationwide.

It is expedient to clear certain notions and misinformation trending on this Issue.

Gentlemen of the Press, in the interest of our great Party’s teeming members, supporters and the general public who may have been misinformed about the situation, please do help us to inform truthfully what the matter is! 

Let all concerned know that the Deputy National Publicity Secretary (my humble self) now Acting National Publicity Secretary and Deputy National Legal Adviser and now Acting National Legal Adviser assumed office following the Decision of the NWC; and it is in line with the PDP Constitution (2017 as Amended) following the “absence” of our substantive officers.

It is made abundantly clear on Section 40(2) and 42(2). It is therefore distasteful for a leader(s) who ought to inform the uninformed but instead goes ahead to misinform on a national television and other media channels that our assumption of office in acting capacity is unconstitutional and does not exist. Why?

Furthermore, we are constrained to express our utter disgust and disappointment in our colleagues’ resort to “motor pack” approach to a mere suspension aimed at providing them with the opportunity to clear themselves of certain allegations against them.

Although we have detailed knowledge of the DRUMMERS, the MASQUERADES should have been guided in their dance steps to avert stripping themselves naked on the stage.

In the face of this reckless violation of a subsisting Court Order, we are hereby left with no option but to deploy the services of SECURITY AGENCIES in the enforcement of the Rule of Law.

To this end, I want to very respectfully commend the intervention of the Chairman of the BoT, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and other well-meaning leaders of the Party on the need to seek amicable solution soonest.

In conclusion, we charge all our Party members’ to remain focused and keep supporting the PDP Leadership under the Acting National Chairman, H.E. Amb Umar Iliya Damagum until we achieve a lasting solution to our issues.