Posted by In the days leading up to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on April 18, sixty federal parliamentarians who are currently members of the PDP have threatened to leave the party.
The legislators threatened to leave the opposition party if party officials do not invalidate what they deemed as a fabricated roster of caretaker committees in ten states, including Rivers. Members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), they said, were on the list.
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The Opposition Lawmakers Coalition has also requested that Ambassador Umar Damagun, who is currently serving as the acting national chairman of the PDP, step down from his position. The coalition wants a party member from the North Central geopolitical zone to take over as acting chairman until the party’s constitutionally mandated national convention is held.
The requests were presented yesterday at a press conference in Abuja by lawmakers of the opposition. Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, a lawmaker for the Ideato Federal Constituency, spoke on behalf of the group, saying that the disgruntled legislators cannot be members of a political party whose policies are dictated by another.
No response was received from the party’s national publicity secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, after multiple attempts to reach her via phone and text message.
The political tensions between the PDP and the NEC have been rising in the days leading up to the meeting.
There has been a rise in calls for Damagum to step down as chairman and make way for a North Central member to take over as national chairman, in line with the party’s initial plan. This comes after the recent revelation of a list of caretaker committee members in ten states caused resentment among some party leaders.