Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, alongside several governors elected on the party’s platform, is currently attending the ongoing National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the PDP national headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting, taking place at the NEC Hall of the Wadata Plaza, comes amid a recent display of internal divisions within the party.
Conspicuously absent from the meeting is Senator Samuel Anyanwu, whom Damagum had publicly acknowledged last week as the party’s National Secretary.
In his opening remarks, Damagum said the party has resolved its internal disagreements and has unanimously agreed to proceed with the NEC meeting.
This is our NEC, and we are focusing on one key agenda item to maintain regulatory compliance and avoid complications,” he said
“The issue at hand, which creates a lot of tension and discussion within us, has been discussed, and we have taken a position and, fortunately, to allow the NEC to step in, which has prompted this meeting. It was a helpful decision,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the PDP secretariat witnessed scenes of chaos when security operatives forcefully dragged out two individuals from the NEC meeting venue. The two, reportedly unrecognised members of the NEC, had refused to leave when instructed by PDP protocol officers.
The confrontation escalated into a physical altercation, resulting in the shattering of the NEC hall’s glass entrance door and briefly disrupting the proceedings.
The identities and reasons behind the individuals’ attempts to stay in the hall remain unclear as of press time.
The latest events follow days of confusion over the status and scheduling of the NEC meeting. While the Damagum-led faction insisted on a postponement, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja’s camp, maintained that the meeting would hold as planned.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Bauchi State Governor and PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman Bala Mohammed, and several other party leaders had earlier arrived at the venue.