Ambassador Umar Damagum, the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is likely to step aside next week, sources suggest.
This follows a meeting held by PDP governors in Akure, Ondo State, on Monday and Tuesday, where they expressed concerns over internal divisions within the party’s National Working Committee (NWC). The governors are reportedly working to foster unity ahead of the 2024 National Executive Committee (NEC) gathering.
Present at the meeting were key party figures, including Damagum, PDP Deputy National Chairman (South) Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, as well as governors such as Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.
Discussions centered around a proposal for Damagum to stay on as interim chair until the NEC meeting, where a candidate from the North-Central region is expected to be nominated for the party’s leadership.
According to insiders, some governors, including Governor Adeleke, expressed concern that ongoing factional disputes could hurt their political aspirations, with Adeleke particularly worried about its impact on his 2026 re-election bid.
The NEC meeting, scheduled for October 24, is expected to approve a new chairmanship and could set a date for a national convention to resolve pending issues.