‘Deliberate Strategy To Buy Time’ – Party Leaders Kick As PDP Postpones NEC Meeting Indefinitely

The North Central caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has voiced its opposition to the indefinite postponement of the party’s 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, originally slated for November 28, 2024.

In a statement on Thursday, the PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, announced that the meeting was postponed to allow members to attend the funeral of the late First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Patience Umo Eno, wife of Governor Umo Eno.

Anyanwu stated, “The NWC, recognizing the need for party leaders to participate in the funeral ceremony of the late First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, hereby notifies distinguished members of NEC that the 99th NEC meeting will now be held on a date to be communicated later. The NWC sincerely regrets the inconveniences caused by this change.”

Naija News reports that the 98th NEC meeting, held on April 18, 2024, had approved several measures, including forming a reconciliation and disciplinary committee, conducting ward and state congresses, and asking the North Central caucus to deliberate on replacing the acting National Chairman with a permanent one. The 99th NEC meeting was initially scheduled for August 15 but faced multiple delays before being indefinitely postponed.

Speaking to The PUNCH on the latest delay, a member of the PDP NWC claimed that the postponement also serves as a strategic move to extend Damagum’s tenure.

He said, “While the postponement is genuine due to the funeral, it is also seen as a calculated tactic to buy more time. If that were not the case, most attendees of both events typically travel by air, so there’s no real need to shift the NEC meeting.

“Those supporting Damagum have effectively taken control of the party and have put plans in place to ensure he completes the term of Senator Iyorchia Ayu. That is why they made this public quickly, as the governors scheduled to meet in Jos on Saturday won’t be able to act otherwise.”

Meanwhile, Kola Ologbondiyan, a former PDP National Publicity Secretary and North Central NEC member, emphasized that the party must adhere to its constitution to resolve the crisis.

Speaking to youths in Abuja, he stressed that respecting the succession process outlined in Section 47 (6) of the PDP Constitution (2017 Amendment) is critical to addressing internal conflicts and rebuilding the party.

“Leaders must put the party’s interests first and recognize that the PDP belongs to all Nigerians, not any individual,” Ologbondiyan said.

He criticized the repeated postponements of the NEC meeting, calling them a “disrespect” to the party’s constitution and a disservice to Nigerians.

Ologbondiyan urged the North Central caucus to continue advocating for its rightful claim to the National Chairman position, warning that failure to do so could harm the party further.

“As long as Damagum remains in office under these circumstances, efforts to fix the PDP will amount to mere lip service,” he concluded.