The National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Umar Damagum has been suspended from over alleged anti-party activities.
The Party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu was also suspended for the same allegation by the National Working Committee (NWC)
The Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba stated this in a statement issued in the wee hours of Friday.
There have been several allegations of anti-party against Damagun and Anyanwu which prompted members of the party to call for their suspension from their.
Mr Damagun, at different fora, had denied the allegations, saying that his tenure as party chairman would help the party get back to power.
But, in the statement issued by the party’s spokesperson, the NWC members unanimously considered the anti-party allegations against Messrs Damagun and Anyanwu.
The statement reads: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has extensively considered the series of complaints raised against the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Illiya Damagum and National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu particularly with regard to the letter addressed by them to the Court of Appeal in Appeal No:CA/PH/307/2024 against the party’s position in the case involving the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who vacated their seats upon decamping from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The NWC condemned this anti-party activity of the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary which is in gross violation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and their Oath of Office,” he said.
Mr Ologunagba said the allegations are contrary to the provision of the party’s constitution and subsequently, the NWC decided to inaugurate a National Disciplinary Committee for further action against the two officials.
He said Messrs Damagum and Anyanwu have been suspended from all meetings of the PDP pending the outcome of the disciplinary committee.
“Consequently, the NWC, pursuant to Sections 57, 58 and 59 of the PDP Constitution, has suspended Amb. Illiya Damagum and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as Acting National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party, respectively, and referred them to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action.
“In the meantime, the two officials are suspended from all meetings, activities and programs of the NWC pending the conclusion of an investigation by the National Disciplinary Committee.”
DAILY GIST recalls that Damagum assumed office as the acting chairman of the PDP in 2023 after Iyorchia Ayu, who hails from Benue State, was suspended by his ward and a subsequent court order asking him to stop parading himself as chairman.
