Acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Iliya Damagum, has reacted to comments on decision to sign a letter to the Appeal Court on the case involving the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly contrary to the position of the party’s national legal adviser, Mr. Ajibade, SAN.
The 27 lawmakers, who are loyal to FCT chairman Nyesom Wike, had defected from the PDP to the APC.
Recall that opposition federal lawmakers had accused Damagum and the party’s national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, of orchestrating a plot to undermine PDP’s interest in Rivers State.
The Ikenga Ugochinyere-led group said Damagun and Anyawu opposed the PDP national legal adviser’s move to ensure that the sacked pro-Wike lawmakers are stopped from doing any harm to PDP interest and possible removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara from office.
Ugochinyere explained that the Rivers State High Court had previously issued an ex parte order on July 8, 2024, restraining key state officials from interacting with the defected lawmakers.
Reacting to the issue, Damagum said: “I also want to use this opportunity to clear certain insinuations that have been trending on social media. Last I checked, the signatories of this party are the chairman and the secretary.
“Just because the chairman and secretary signed a letter, it has become an issue. People are making all sorts of insinuations about it. I don’t want to engage with the other person—it’s a distraction.
“But it pains me when I see someone who knows the workings of the NWC going on television to mislead the audience and say things that are not correct. It is painful. Very, very painful.
“There is precedent for what we did. During Kashamu’s case, the chairman and secretary brought it to the Supreme Court. There was also the issue of Anambra.
“Two issues arose. The chairman and secretary, in any situation, work as a team. I don’t make decisions without consulting my members,” he added.
