The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has disagreed with the assertion of a former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George, that the party will remain in crisis due to the personal ambition of some of its chieftains.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who reacted to George’s claims while speaking with THE WHISTLER on Friday, insisted that the main opposition party is not in crisis.
George had, while addressing journalists in Lagos on Thursday, expressed concern that ‘personalised ambition’ is tearing PDP apart, making it difficult for the party to achieve genuine reconciliation.
“Elders of the party have to come into the room to resolve the personalised ambitions of people. That is what is killing our party,” George said.
Ologunagba, responding to questions raised by THE WHISTLER concerning George’s comments, noted that the ex-deputy national chairman should have mentioned the party chieftains he was referring to.
“If you ask me, I can’t speak his mind but I know the party is not in crisis and I am sure you know the party is not in crisis,” Ologunagba added.
An unresolved thorny issue in the PDP is the North-Central Caucus’ insistence on producing the substantive National Chairman, following the removal of the last occupant of the position, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu.
Ayu, from Benue State in the North Central, emerged the party’s national chairman at a convention in 2021, following the ceding of the position to the zone in line with constitutional provisions.
However, Ayu was removed from office without completing his tenure in 2023, and since then, Amb. Umar Damagum, from Yobe State in the North East, has been the Acting National Chairman.
The North Central has been making efforts to remove Damagun as Acting National Chairman, in order to produce the substantive national chairman to complete its slot that was vacated by Ayu.
Some lawsuits seeking Damagun’s removal as Acting National Chairman are pending in court.
Also, 60 PDP members of the House of Representatives had, in April, called for Damagun’s removal as Acting National Chairman, demanding the appointment of a substantive national chairman from the North Central region.
Responding to the demand by the North Central to produce the PDP national chairman, in line with the party’s Constitution, Ologunagba said the party will resolve all outstanding issues.
“That’s the constitutional provision, and I believe those ones will kick in at the appropriate time. Our party is a party of law and order and we follow the constitutional process,” he said.
“Disagreement is common when you have people with conflicting interests and aspirations. Of course you have contestation of ideas. So in such situations you find people trying to project or promote one position or the other but that does not mean there is a crisis.
“In a family where you have children and their demands are different, of course you reconcile them. It may not be immediately. That’s ongoing. That’s what we do.
“So we are not in a crisis. The party is not in crisis,” the PDP spokesman added.
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