The acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has reacted to fresh calls for the suspension of FCT minister Nyesom Wike and other members allegedly engaged in anti-party activities.
Addressing PDP Mobilizers Group in Abuja, Damagum noted that the National Working Committee (NWC) under his leadership will not suspend or dismiss any member regardless of the offense.
The PDP chairman revealled that his mandate is to reconcile members for a stronger party ahead of the 2027 elections and other off-season polls.
“They are always telling you these people are not doing the right thing. But when you are in a position of leadership, you are bound by a set of rules, and these rules, even though they are itching you, you don’t apply them—not because of anything, but so that you don’t destroy the house,” the PDP chairman began.
“I have been seeing the agitations within our platforms, saying the NWC was not doing this or doing that. This is an opportunity for me to explain.
“Somebody has said that sometimes when you are not knowledgeable about certain things and you go on saying about your thinking, it will always injure the sensibility of others to understand you.”
Damagun cautioned members against trading blames as regards the PDP’s failure to win the 2023 presidential election.
“I am very proud to say that this party was started by me as a driver. Today, I am the acting national chairman by the grace of God. I have never calculated that I will be given this title. I believe in this party, I believe that this party is the best in this country.
“The NWC has already come up and approved a 2023 election review and reconciliation committee. They will go and investigate. We’ll give them the mandate to form subcommittees. However, there is only one national committee that will review the 2023 election and also review from 2015 to 2019.
”This is so that at the end of the day when they bring the reports, we will meet and take decisions.”
“If I said we should start suspension, I will end up suspending many people because they were involved in anti-party activities. So, please bear with us. We intend to keep this party together and to manage it. This is my mandate.”
