Damagum: PDP Reps Caucus’ Meeting Ends In Deadlock

The meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the House of Representatives has ended in a deadlock.

The meeting was held on Tuesday at the House Committee Room 301 in the National Assembly Complex Abuja, ahead of Thursday’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party.

Naija News gathered that the meeting was summoned by the leader of the Caucus and House minority leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, a loyalist of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to Leadership, the lawmakers were sharply divided between those who supported the party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damgun, and those who opposed his continued stay in office.

However, the main agenda of the Pre-NEC meeting was to pass a vote of confidence on Damagun by lawmakers loyal to Wike, which could not sail through.

This was as a group of over 60 lawmakers under the auspices of a coalition of opposition lawmakers led by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere maintained that Damagum should resign and someone from the North-central zone take the position.

They also insisted on the expulsion of FCT minister Wike and any other politician involved in anti-party activities.

Speaking to Leadership on the outcome of the meeting, a member of the opposition lawmakers coalition, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the move to pass a vote of confidence on Damagun failed.

The lawmaker said the party needs total overhaul and reformation, alleging that the PDP national leadership is working extremely hard to hand over the party to the APC.

He said: “We are glad that the plan of the pro-Wike group supporting Damagun fell like a pack of cards as we refused all entreaties to perpetuate illegality and stoking of crisis in the party. Our position remains that Damagun must go for someone from North-central to take over and complete Ayu’s tenure.

“Our party needs total overhaul and reformation. We currently have in the PDP a national leadership that is in bed with the APC and is working extremely hard to hand over the party to the APC. This is quite shameful disheartening. But we won’t fold our hands and let that happen.

“We are aside other demands insisting on 100 per cent formation of caretaker PDP executive list at all levels without any tampering or inclusion of new names outside the earlier resolution that members of the expiring expos should act as caretaker for 3 months pending the conduct of the substantive election. Our party will not be overtaken by APC, we are here to serve the Nigerian people not to the whims and caprices of some selfish politicians.”