The uneasy calm within the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reached its height at the weekend as 11 out of the 17 members of the party leadership disowned the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and the embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
The fresh crisis is as a result of the legal representation for the party in a pending appeal before the Supreme Court.
Before now the NWC members had been at each other’s throat over the continued leadership of Damagum and Anyanwu.
The development had polarised the party leadership leading to the suspension of Damagum and the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Barrister Debo Ologunagba before the intervention of the PDP Governors’ Forum.
However, the fresh imbroglio followed a letter by Damagum dated 20 December 2024, appointing the chambers of Dr. J. Y. Musa and Co., believed to be a close ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as legal representatives of the party in the Supreme Court Appeal No: CA / E/ 23/2024, involving Samuel Anyanwu Vs. Aniagwu Emmanuel and 3 others.
In his letter, Damagum claimed that he was writing on behalf of the NWC and instructing the chambers to represent the party in the case in question.
However, members of the NWC in a letter signed by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South) Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, National Treasurer, Alhaji Yayari Ahmed, Ologunagba and others, wrote a counter letter addressed to the President of the Court of Appeal which was stamped received on 23 January2025, urging the court to disregard Damagum’s letter.
They said a letter of instruction signed by the Acting National Chairman of the PDP purportedly on behalf of the Party, the NWC and NEC, appointing Dr. J.Y. Musa (SAN) to represent the Party and all others was against the constitution of the party, asking the Supreme Court and everyone concern to disregard the said letter.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the responsibility of appointing external solicitors to handle cases on behalf of the Party is that of the National Legal Adviser pursuant to Article 42 of the Party’s Constitution and not that of any other NWC member.
“We therefore urge the Supreme Court to disregard the representation of Dr. J. Y. Musa or any other person appointed by the Acting National Chairman on behalf of the Party in any appeal or application emanating from the appeal under reference”.
When contacted, Ologunagba told Daily Trust that their letter was backed by section 42 of the Constitution of the party.
The position of the National Secretary has been a contentious issue since Anyanwu left to contest the Imo governorship position which he lost.
In his absence, the South East caucus of the party endorsed Sunday Ude-Okoye to replace him.
After losing the position, efforts to reclaim his seat as the secretary has thrown the party into further crisis.
An Appeal Court sitting in Enugu had on 20 December, 2024, upheld an earlier decision of a High Court removing Senator Anyanwu as the PDP National Secretary and in his place affirmed Sunday Ude-Okoye as the authentic secretary.
Anyanwu has, however, filed for a Stay of Execution and Appeal, with Dr. Musa (SAN) nominated as the party’s legal counsel by Damagum, the crux of the new impasse.
