The romance between the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and the acting National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Damagum, may have ended as the acting chairman has insisted that the zonal congress organised by Wike and Dan Orbih cannot stand.
The former PDP South-South Zonal Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih and other member from the Zone loyal to the FCT Minister had conducted the zonal congress in Cross River State, with Wike saying that would be the only Congress of the zone.
Damagun, a well known ally of the FCT Minister, who inaugurated the South South Zonal Caretaker Committee at the party headquarters at Wadata Plaza, on Thursday, said the tenure of the outgone committee had expired and a Caretaker Committee was necessary before congress could be conducted.
He also asked Nigerians not to take the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) seriously, claiming that the PDP remains the party to beat.
Damagum said, “This is a very important occasion and I think I want to use this opportunity to tell us that there was no election as far as this party is concerned, in the South-South. I have to make this clear, because the tenure of the Zonal Committee has expired and we still have a few weeks or a month or so to do the Zonal Congresses. So we find it necessary to come up with this caretaker committee.
“I believe from your choices, some of you I have known and related with, I have no doubt that you will be diligent in your responsibility and usher in the new, soon-to-be-elected Executive Committee of the Zone.
“So, I enjoin you to be devoid of any partisanship or taking sides, to be diligent in the execution of your duties and come up with an all-inclusive Executive Committee in the Zone.”
Damagum said the PDP is still the party to beat.
“A party that has been tested for 27 years, one of the oldest parties. All these shenanigans you see around, the APC, the others, have not been more than 10 years old and if you’ve grown up to be up to 27 years and still standing, still counting, then there is no guarantee more than that.
“The PDP is the guarantee for Nigerians to change the course of what is happening today in our country. I also want to use this opportunity to caution our leaders, don’t fear them.
“Nobody is going to change your destiny for you other than yourself. I’ve noticed maybe because of fears, you find sometimes leaders encouraging this present administration at the center. I find it really very disgusting. Let’s tell ourselves the truth.
“So please let’s be up and doing. Don’t fear anyone. Nigerians belong to all of us. So there’s nobody who is a better Nigerian than you are. It’s all an opportunity, but if you put your act together, the path is very bright, we will reach the destination.”
Damagun and the embattled National Secretary of the PDP Samuel Anyanwu, had been the instruments used by Wike to hold the party down. With this development and recent court of appeal ruling on Anyanwu, respite may be coming the way of the party.
