By Chika Eze, Abuja
The Forum of State Chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed its total support and loyalty to the embattled National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and the National Working Committee (NWC), ahead of the party’s forthcoming National Elective Convention scheduled for November 15–16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The meeting, attended by twenty-nine (29) State Chairmen, had Ambassador Damagum in attendance, who expressed confidence in the resilience and unity of the PDP despite recent challenges.
Damagum said, “This reaffirms my joy that this party is not about self-serving individuals. Ours is to leave an enduring legacy where formidable members of the NWC will emerge during our convention in Ibadan. Yes, we have challenges, but there is nothing good that comes without challenges,” he emphasised.
He dismissed speculations about the party’s decline, declaring that, “People are saying the PDP is dead. Today, in Nigeria, the story is about PDP. You don’t talk about something that doesn’t exist. This is an attestation that PDP is alive, ready, and capable of navigating internal challenges and addressing the problems bedeviling this country,” he said.
Calling for unity, the PDP National Chairman urged aggrieved members to return to the fold.
“I call on our colleagues who left the party to see wisdom and return to the fold because treachery to an institution that made you what you are, will not heal. You may be lucky now, but the law of karma exists, what goes around comes around,” he cautioned.
Damagum further warned against intimidation and oppression in the political space, stating that every Nigerian has a right to aspire and participate in the democratic process.
“To those that think humiliation, intimidation, and harassment will deter citizens, they are just jesters. This country belongs to all of us. We are law-abiding citizens and will continue to pursue our dreams in a lawful manner,” he said.
He concluded by invoking divine justice, adding, “I invoke God to look at us, look at our behaviours, and do justice according to the way and manner we behave,” he said.
In a communiqué read after the meeting, Edo State PDP Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, said the Forum “unequivocally reaffirms its total support, confidence, and loyalty to Ambassador Umar Damagum and the entire National Working Committee.”
The Forum commended Justice Akintola’s judgment, which cleared the way for the Ibadan convention, and urged delegates to “elect credible, competent, and loyal men and women who will strengthen our great party and lead it to victory.”
It also praised the synergy among the NWC, the PDP Governors’ Forum led by Senator Bala Mohammed, and the Board of Trustees chaired by Senator Adolphus Wabara, saying their cooperation has “immensely contributed to stabilizing and repositioning the PDP,” he emphasised.
The Forum emphasized discipline within the party, warning that any member whose conduct undermines unity and cohesion would face sanctions.
It distanced itself from the purported Abdurahman leadership, stressing that “the PDP has only one National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum.”
State Chairmen from the North Central Zone also joined their colleagues at the meeting to reaffirm total support for all organs of the PDP.