•Say Damagum, Anyanwu stay till December
•Party disowns Ebonyi group, insists Odefa remains South-east NVC
Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki
The divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) showed no sign of any let-up yesterday, as elected deputies of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) called on NWC members and stakeholders who were against the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, to resign, instead of de-marketing the party.
The deputies also said Damagum and Anyanwu would continue in office till December.
That was as PDP in Ebonyi State described PDP South East Concerned Stakeholders as a faceless group that was trying to cause disaffection in the South-east zone of the party.
PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, who spoke on behalf of the national deputies, told a press conference in Abuja, “The case of the acting national chairman is settled till December 2025, and that of the national secretary should wait on the courts. Let’s learn to love and support PDP first and always.”
Osadolor berated members of the NWC, who went about disparaging the party for their self-interest.
He said, “Apart from court distractions, the acting national chairman, Iliya Damagum, and the national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, will stay in office till December 2025 and there is nothing anybody can do about it.
“We, the elected deputies of the PDP National Working Committee, have deemed it fit and proper to come out and speak, for the saving of the soul and integrity of this blessed and beloved party of ours.
“We are dealing with disillusionment of members across the country and beyond, for reasons bordering on distrust, insincerity, lack of firm enforcement of agreements, self-serving interests, and unnecessary eye service that is laced with smooth tongues.”
the party in Ebonyi State described PDP South East Concerned Stakeholders as illegal and unconstitutional, saying there is no such group known to the PDP constitution and all organs of the party.
In a statement issued by Ebonyi State Chairman of PDP, Mr Onyemaechi Nwele, and Secretary, Mr Zacheus Ogbuefi, the party insisted that Ali Odefa remained National Vice Chairman of the party in South-east zone.
PDP stated that it was mischievous for the group to publish an “incomplete judgement” of the Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, which the party said was geared towards deceiving and misleading unsuspecting members of the public and PDP members in the zone.
