A member of the House of Representatives, Ikenga Ugochinyere, representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State, has accused some governors and state chairmen within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of orchestrating a plan to retain Umar Damagum as the party’s national chairman until 2027.
Ugochinyere’s allegations, made during a press conference in Akokwa, Imo State, on Sunday, spotlight the ongoing leadership crisis in the PDP.
Ugochinyere lamented that the PDP has been hijacked by what he described as “political opportunists,” turning the opposition platform into an “errand platform for the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
He further claimed that PDP national leaders have been engaging in clandestine meetings with APC leaders abroad, notably in London.
The PDP’s internal struggles have been punctuated by repeated delays in convening the National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings to appoint a substantive national chairman.
The 98th NEC meeting, initially scheduled for April 18, was postponed multiple times—from August 15 to October 24, then to November 28, and now indefinitely.
Ugochinyere alleged that the persistent postponements are part of a calculated effort to maintain Damagum’s position.
“They have perfected a plan to ensure that the NEC meeting to choose a chairman from North-Central, where the position is originally supposed to come from, is not possible,” he said.
He described Damagum as “an imposter of the highest order” and warned that retaining him until 2027 could lead to the imposition of a weak presidential candidate, further weakening the party.
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The lawmaker also criticized some PDP leaders for their alleged close ties with APC officials, particularly mentioning Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, a former PDP stalwart.
“You have a national chairman and a secretary who, within 24 hours, are in Nyesom Wike’s bedroom, a minister in the APC government,” Ugochinyere said.
He argued that such actions undermine the PDP’s credibility as an opposition party, particularly during a period of national economic and political challenges. “At a time when Nigeria is facing a serious crisis, our opposition is now in the bedroom of the ruling party,” he remarked.
Ugochinyere’s allegations extend beyond leadership failures, accusing party leaders of sabotaging their own platform. “We have impostors among us, who have no honour and decency. They have decided to kill the political party,” he said, adding that these actions provide fodder for the ruling APC to ridicule the PDP.
The lawmaker, who previously served as the spokesperson for the Conference of United Political Parties (CUPP), also accused Wike and members of the G5 group of plotting to destroy the PDP, describing their tactics as “childish politics.”
Ugochinyere’s allegations, coupled with the delays in resolving leadership disputes, reflect deeper divisions within Nigeria’s largest opposition party. Analysts warn that without swift and decisive action, the PDP risks further erosion of its influence and relevance in the country’s political landscape.