Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed concern over the repeated postponements of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, claiming that such delays are undermining the confidence of its members.
Gatekeepers News reports that the BoT, in a communique released in Abuja following an emergency meeting, raised alarms that the party may be falling under the influence of certain factions.
The PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), under the leadership of acting national chairman Umar Damagum, has rescheduled the NEC meeting twice within the last two months, with the next meeting now set for February 2025.
The NEC constitutes the PDP’s highest decision-making authority and includes a diverse membership, such as state governors, current and former presidents, former vice presidents, the chair and secretary of the BoT, principal officers of the National Assembly, state chairmen, and influential founding members.
According to Section 31 (4) of the PDP constitution, NEC meetings are mandated to occur at least once every three months. In the communique, BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara emphasized the importance of the NWC fulfilling its commitment to hold the meeting in February.
“The BoT is deeply disappointed over the continued shifting by the NWC in convening a national executive committee (NEC) meeting,” Wabara said.
“This delay not only undermines the trust and confidence of our members but portrays our party as having been hijacked by certain interests.
“The BoT demands that the NWC should show leadership, honour its word, and convene the NEC meeting as scheduled in February 2025.
“This is critical for resolving pressing issues and charting a clear path forward for the party. Any further postponement will exacerbate existing challenges and may spell doom for our party.
“BoT calls on the PDP Governors’ Forum to be more united and work along with other organs of the party to resolve issues in the party expeditiously.”
Wabara said the BoT reaffirmed its stance that Damagum, the acting chairman of the party, should step aside to allow a member from the north-central geopolitical zone to assume the position and complete the tenure of Iyorchia Ayu, who was removed in March 2023.
He also called for unity in the party, saying the BoT will continue to reconcile aggrieved members.
“BoT calls on the PDP Governors’ Forum to be more united and work along with other organs of the party to resolve issues in the party expeditiously,” he said.
“To this end, the BoT will begin again to search for peace in the new year, starting with former governor Nyesom Wike, who the BoT had promised to visit again to seek lasting peace.”
