Governors elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are scheduled to meet tomorrow ,Saturday in Jos, Plateau State, to take a decision on the party’s acting National Chairman, Iliya Damagum, ahead of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting holding next Thursday.
The meeting, summoned at the instance of the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Senator Bala Mohammed, of Bauchi State, is to determine the choice of who will replace Damagum, a development that has hitherto divided the governors into two different camps.
The outcome of the Saturday meeting will decide whether the November 28 NEC meeting will produce a substantive National Chairman. The North-Central zone was yet to reach a consensus on who to replace Iyorchia Ayu. The only option that is being mentioned is Senator David Mark, but sources said he was ruled out due to medical challenges.
Notwithstanding the outcome of the meeting and bearing any further changes, Damagum, may have secured the support of the 36 States chairmen and the chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to stay in office till December 2025, when a substantive National Chairman would be elected.
As part of the plot to thwart the decision of the November 28 99th NEC meeting, the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting reportedly released the time table for six zonal congresses in the geo-political zones of the country.
It was gathered that the decision to allow Damagum continue in office was the inability of the North-Central zone to produce a consensus replacement to Ayu, who was sacked by his ward in Gboko and confirmed by a Benue State High Court, in Gboko, the State capital.
PDP Senators, on Wednesday declared that the party’s identity transcended its acting National Chairman, Damagun, or the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The senators made the declaration while addressing journalists after a two-hour closed-door meeting at the National Assembly complex.
