Umar Damagum
The Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party from removing its acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
The court, in a ruling delivered on May 3, with court documents made available to newsmen on May 8, restrained the respondents in the interim, from appointing, selecting, or nominating any person to replace Damagum, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
Justice Peter Lifu, while granting the interim order, adjourned till May 14 for further hearing.
The judge gave the restraining order in favour of Senator Umar Maina and Alhaji Zanna Gaddama, who filed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/579/2024.
Listed as defendants in the suit were the PDP, its National Working Committee, National Executive Committee, Board of Trustees and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The judge, however, ordered the plaintiffs to “enter into a fresh undertaking to pay damages to the respondents (to be assessed by the court) if at the end of the day it is discovered that this order ought not to have been granted or that the honourable court was misled into granting same.”
Ahead of the PDP National Executive Council, which held in Abuja on April 18, pressure had mounted for Damagum to be removed to pave the way for the emergence of a substantive PDP National Chairman.
Members of the party from the North Central zone demanded Damagum’s removal, insisting that the position ought to return to the zone, to complete the tenure of Senator Iyorchia Ayu, who was suspended as national chairman of the party last year.
One of those seeking to replace Damagum is a former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam.
The party, at the NEC meeting, however, resolved to allow Damagum remain in office.
The NWC of the party passed a vote of confidence in the embattled acting national chairman.