Damagum’s survival not victory or defeat for Atiku, Wike – Moro
The lawmaker representing Benue South Senatorial District, Senator Abba Moro, has said the survival of Umar Damagum as the Peoples Democratic Party acting National Chairman was not a matter of victory or defeat for any individual but a collective decision made by stakeholders to propel the party forward.
Moro’s remarks came amidst speculations suggesting that Damagum’s retention, despite calls for his resignation, signalled a triumph for Nyesom Wike, former governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and a setback for PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar.
Senator Moro stressed that attributing the entirety of PDP’s actions to Atiku and Wike was unfair, as the party comprises numerous members with diverse perspectives and motivations. He underscored that the focus should remain on strengthening the PDP as a viable alternative for Nigerians amidst prevailing challenges.
He said, “The constitution of our party is very clear on who is a member and who is not a member of the caucus of the party and I dare say, at this point, that as a former governor who is still a member of the party, Nyesom Wike is a member of the National Caucus of the party.
“If actions had been taken immediately after the elections and people who are perceived to have acted contrary to the desires and yearnings of the PDP have been sanctioned, then we can say that having been expelled or suspended, you can’t be here, but as it is, non of such actions have been taken, so you can’t just ban people from attending meetings.”
He also said, “One of the fallouts of the last NEC meeting was the resuscitation of the Reconciliation and Disciplinary Committee, which is saddled with the responsibility of identifying the area of antiparty and the dramatis personae involved in the activities, and recommended appropriate punitive measures against those who have been found guilty to serve as a deterrent to future occurrence.
“Unfortunately, that hasn’t been done, and so to that extent, as a voluntary organization, if the members involved insist they are still members of the party until actions are taken by the Reconciliation and Disciplinary Committee we want to take that they are still members of the party.”
On expectations from the next NEC meeting scheduled for August 15, as it concerns the position of the National Chairman of the party, the Senate Minority Leader said the party’s constitution had a well-spelt-out succession plan.
He stated, “We cannot translate the entirety of PDP’s activities and inactivities to Wike and Atiku, out of millions of other members of the party across the country who also have their own thinking and reasons for being in the party.
“The whole issue was not about Wike or Atiku, or victory for Wike or defeat for Atiku, the issue was existential.
“We came together and reasoned together, that in the present scenario where Nigerians are hurting due to the maladministration of the APC government, what do we do to provide an alternative platform for Nigerians to look up to?
“In those circumstances, we decided to thread with caution so that we don’t throw away the baby with the bath water.”
On why the National Caucus of the party allowed Nyesom Wike into their meeting, Senator Moro said the Minister couldn’t have been stopped from the meeting since he has not been found guilty of any crime and penalized by the party.
He noted if the party’s disciplinary committee, headed by Senator Bukola Saraki found Wike guilty of the alleged antiparty activities and had him sanctioned, he would stop attending the party’s meetings.
He said, “The constitution of our party is very clear on who is a member and who is not a member of the caucus of the party and I dare say, at this point, that as a former governor who is still a member of the party, Nyesom Wike is a member of the National Caucus of the party.
“If actions had been taken immediately after the elections and people who are perceived to have acted contrary to the desires and yearnings of the PDP have been sanctioned, then we can say that having been expelled or suspended, you can’t be here, but as it is, non of such actions have been taken, so you can’t just ban people from attending meetings.”
He further added, “One of the fallouts of the last NEC meeting was the resuscitation of the Reconciliation and Disciplinary Committee, which is saddled with the responsibility of identifying the area of antiparty and the dramatis personae involved in the activities and recommending appropriate punitive measures against those who have been found guilty to serve as a deterrent to future occurrence.
“Unfortunately, that hasn’t been done, and so to that extent, as a voluntary organization, if the members involved insist they are still members of the party until actions are taken by the Reconciliation and Disciplinary Committee we want to take that they are still members of the party,” he added.
On expectations from the next NEC meeting scheduled for August 15, as it concerns the position of the National Chairman of the party, the Senate Minority Leader said the party’s constitution had a well-spelt-out succession plan.
“The constitution of our party has a well-spelt-out succession plan. Section 35 (3C) states that where a vacancy exists, someone from the zone of the immediate past occupier of the office shall be appointed by NEC to complete the tenure of the person who vacated the office.
“For the position of the National Chairman, we will look at the succession plan of the party, in accordance with the constitutional provisions, and produce a replacement for Senator Iyorchia Ayu from North Central now that he has heeded our plea and withdrawn his case from the court. We will go to the next NEC meeting with open minds and invoke the relevant sections of the constitution to produce his replacement,” he stated.
