The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors have reportedly agreed to settle for a new national chairman from the North-Central region, sidelining the current acting chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagum.
The search for a consensus leader comes as the party seeks to navigate ongoing internal struggles and stabilize ahead of its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, proposed for October 24.
Top contenders for the chairmanship include former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and PDP Governors’ Forum Director-General Dr. Emmanuel Agbo.
Party insiders suggest that the governors are focused on selecting a neutral figure not aligned with any of the factions jostling for control of the party’s structure, in an effort to unite the party’s ranks.
This development follows calls from ex-officio NEC members for the NEC meeting to proceed, allowing aggrieved members to voice their concerns and restore order within the party.
Part of the statement by the PDP Ex-officio members of NEC read: “We have viewed with utter dismay and concern the dangerous turn of events within the top echelon of our party in the recent times. These events have the tendency to shake the very foundation of our party.
“We recall the primary aim of the founding fathers of our great party was to pursue democratic tenets and good governance for teeming Nigerians, and that has not changed.
“As an integral part of NEC of our great party, and one of its last bastions with the grassroots, who believe in the resurgence of our party’s popularity, we have critically brainstormed and dispassionately resolved, as a matter of urgency to call on the leadership of the party to ensure that the NEC meeting scheduled for the 24th, October 2024 holds.
“This will afford members who are aggrieved the opportunity to be heard and their issues addressed.
“Our Party’s Constitution is explicit on the importance of NEC in its provision that it shall hold at least once every quarter, failing which two-thirds of members may exercise its power in summoning an emergency NEC meeting.
“It is regrettable that our party has not adhered to the provisions of its own constitution, which would have nipped in the bud many unresolved issues.”