… insist on Ibadan convention
…meet with Makinde in Abuja, hail Oyo gov’s sacrifices for party
…Damagum curses ‘devil’ behind party cracks
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state chairmen on Thursday, declared support for the Umar Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party amid the ongoing leadership crisis rocking it.
The Forum of State PDP Chairmen, after a meeting held in Abuja, also commended Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court for granting the party the leave to proceed with its scheduled November 15 Ibadan National Elective Convention.
In a communique read to reporters after the meeting, the Chairman of the Forum and Chairman of Edo State PDP, Honourable Tony Aziegbemi, also called for the enforcement of party discipline, unity and the commitment of all members to safeguard the leading opposition party.
The communique read partly, “The Forum unequivocally reaffirms its total support, confidence, and loyalty to the National Chairman of our great Party, Ambassador Umar Damagun, and the entire National Working Committee (NWC).
“The Forum applauds the courageous and well-considered judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Akintola, which has paved the way for the conduct of the forthcoming National Elective Convention scheduled for November 15-16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“The Forum urges all delegates, as duly recognized and provided for in the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended), to begin preparations in earnest to participate in the convention and to elect credible, competent, and loyal men and women into the National Working Committee.”
The forum dissociated itself from the camp of the NWC led by Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman as acting national chairman.
“The forum in the same vein dissociates itself from the purported Abdurahman leadership and wants to categorically say that the PDP has only one National Chairman, His Excellency Umar Damagun”, it stated.
Addressing the chairmen during the meeting, Damagum expressed happiness that the PDP had continued to survive in spite of the efforts of those he called “devil” to bury it.
According to him, the support of grassroots leaders like the chairmen is an indication of the confidence Nigerians have in the PDP to address its setbacks and reclaim power in 2027.
He said, “People are saying the PDP is dead. Today, in Nigeria, the story is about PDP. So you don’t say a story of something that does not exist. This is an attestation that PDP is alive. PDP is ready.
“PDP is a vehicle that knows how to navigate the challenges within our fold and also solve the challenges that are bedeviling us in this country.”
Speaking further, Damagum referenced an unnamed devil in the party he advised to be wary of tomorrow.
He added, “I want to use this opportunity to call on our colleagues that the devil is using, to see wisdom in casting the devil in them because treachery, especially to an institution that has made you what you are today, will not heal.
“You may be lucky now, but there is law of Karma. What goes around comes around. I think it is not late to see the need to do justice to this party that has given you all.
“Sometimes, when I resort to the ways of God, people think it is weakness. We exist because God exists. We owe everything that we do to him. He is watching us. He will judge us by our behavior. I will leave this on this note. They say a word is enough for us.”
Meanwhile, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and the chairmen, also met on Thursday night in Abuja over the crisis.
Speaking after the meeting with Makinde, the Forum acknowledged his role is stabilising the PDP.
Aziegbemi described the crisis as a fight between the forces of darkness and light.
“This fight is a fight between darkness and light. They want to crumble the PDP and allow the APC to win easily in 2027.
“We came to tell the governor that we are with him and working together to ensure that the PDP succeeds”, he added
