By Uche Amunike
The factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has called on party faithfuls to support his leadership, even as he advised them on the need to stay loyal to the party, and eschew betrayal of any sort.
Speaking, Thursday, in Abuja, during a meeting of the forum of State PDP Chairmen who came together to pledge support for his leadership of the party, he made this appeal.
His words: ‘I want to use this opportunity to call on our colleagues that the devil is using, to see wisdom in casting the devil in them because treachery, especially to an institution that has made you what you are today, will not heal.’
‘You may be lucky now, but there is the law of karma. What goes around comes around. I think it is not too late to see the need to do justice to this party that has given you all. Sometimes, when I resort to the ways of God, people think it is a weakness.’
He maintained that God will judge everybody by their behavior, while dismissing the insinuations that PDP is dead. He described PDP as a vehicle that knows how to navigate the challenges within her fold, while also solving the challenges that are bedeviling everyone in the country.
He further stated: ‘I also want to use this opportunity to call on all that matters in this country to know that every citizen of this country has a right to be. Every citizen of this country has a right to aspire, has a right to explore whatever way he feels he wants to exercise his right. To those who think humiliation, intimidation, and harassment will deter citizens, they are just jesters.’
‘This country belongs to all of us. We are law-abiding citizens. We will continue to pursue our dreams in a lawful manner. We will not be intimidated by anyone who feels that, because God has given him the opportunity, he can behave the way he likes. It is a temporary one. And one day, everyone who does what is not right will be at the front.’
Their communique was earlier signed by 29 state PDP Chairmen, who pledged their total support for the Damagum-led NWC. The chairman of the forum, Tony Aziegbemi and the secretary, Edward Marsha, who signed the communique also commended Justice Akintola, stating that his courage paved the way for the PDP to go ahead with its planned convention.
The communique partly read: ‘The Forum urges all delegates, as duly recognised and provided for in the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended), to begin preparations in earnest to participate in the convention and to elect credible, competent, and loyal men and women into the National Working Committee.’
‘The Forum commends the effective and collaborative leadership being provided by the National Working Committee under Ambassador Umar Damagum, the PDP Governors’ Forum under His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed, and the Board of Trustees (BOT) under His Excellency, Senator Adolphus Wabara. The Forum notes that this synergy has contributed immensely to stabilising and repositioning the Party.’
It added: ‘The Forum emphasises the critical importance of discipline within the party and calls on all state chapters not to hesitate in invoking the relevant provisions of the party Constitution to discipline erring members whose conduct undermines unity, cohesion, and the collective interest of the PDP.’
The crisis in the PDP took a fresh turn on Monday as the two factions are laying claim to the leadership of the party.
While Damagum and his faction are relying on the order given by Justice Akintola in planning for the November 15 and 16 convention slated for Ibadan, Abdulrahman Mohammed’s faction have appealed the judgment, insisting that the convention will not hold.
