Bob-Manuel Umoru, Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, has written an open letter to national leaders and members of the party, accusing top figures within National Working Committee (NWC) of betraying PDP’s founding principles and leading it into decline.
Gatekeepers News reports that in the strongly worded letter, Umoru lamented that the PDP, which he once likened to a patient in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), had been fatally neglected by those responsible for its recovery.
He said the party’s leadership — including the NWC, Board of Trustees (BOT), and National Executive Committee (NEC) — failed to act decisively or constitutionally, resulting in deep internal rot.
Umoru recalled that in 2024 he personally reached out to Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum over alleged irregularities in the Edo State delegate election, but was met with a “disappointing and dismissive” response.
According to him, the materials for the election were wrongfully handed over to Governor Godwin Obaseki, who allegedly manipulated the process to impose Asue Ighodalo as the PDP’s governorship candidate.
He said this unconstitutional act prompted Governor Seyi Makinde to resign as head of the election committee in protest, after which Governor Peter Mbah and Paschal Adigwe allegedly conducted the exercise fraudulently.
Umoru added that their actions violated the PDP Constitution and triggered multiple court cases that weakened the party ahead of the election.
The Edo PDP spokesperson also accused some NWC members and Governor Obaseki of being involved in a $2 million bribery scandal, calling for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the matter.
He said the crisis and imposition of unpopular candidates directly led to the PDP’s defeat in the Edo governorship election.
Umoru further criticised the wave of defections by prominent PDP figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and others, saying their exit symbolised the loss of direction within the party.
He particularly blamed Damagum, Makinde, and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed for destroying the PDP from within, describing them as “the Three Musketeers turned undertakers.”
Umoru wrote, “They have traded principle for profit, loyalty for lucre, and collective progress for personal protection”, warning that the same leaders may defect ahead of the next general election to evade accountability.
He urged party members to rally behind Senator Sam Anyanwu, the PDP National Secretary, describing him as a man of integrity capable of restoring the party’s glory.
Umoru ended his letter with a prayer, saying, “May Ayu and Damagum never befall our party again as we journey along and I also pray that may PDP in any state never witness the coming of anything ore creature in the form of Obaseki in Jesus Name, Amen.”
