Former Senate Presidents, David Mark and Bukola Saraki, the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang, and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders from the North Central have demanded that the party’s National Chairmanship be returned to their zone to complete its tenure.
Naija News reports that the PDP chieftains made this appeal in a communiqué issued after a stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by prominent PDP figures, including Governor Caleb Muftwang, former Senate Presidents David Mark and Bukola Saraki, former governors Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), and Idris Wada (Kogi), as well as the party’s National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), among others.
Recall that the PDP has faced internal divisions exacerbated before and after the 2023 general elections.
The party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, has been criticised for failing to address the lingering crises, further weakening the PDP’s influence.
Damagum assumed the position after the court ousted former Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, for failing to enact necessary reforms.
However, during its meeting, the PDP North Central leaders insisted that the chairmanship seat should be restored to its zone to serve out its tenure.
The PDP leaders also stressed unity and peace as vital for the party’s future and urged stakeholders to build consensus.
The communiqué stated, “The stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party reviewed the state of the party with particular reference to the vacant position of National Chairman of the party following the exit of Senator Iyorchia Ayu.
“The PDP constitution clearly states that for succession of offices in the party at all levels, any vacant position can be replaced by appointment from the zone as per Section 47 (6) of the party’s constitution.
“The leadership of the party needs to rise to the occasion to restore goodwill and cohesion by making necessary sacrifices and compromises. It is in light of this that the stakeholders of the North Central Zone appeal to the conscience and goodwill of our compatriots in other zones to restore the Chairmanship seat to the North Central Zone to serve out its tenure.
“North Central is united and will strive to preserve the PDP as a veritable platform for good governance in Nigeria.”