THE National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appointed the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Umar Damagum, as Acting Chairman.
This is coming on the heels of the suspension of the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, by a High Court in Benue State.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, announced this at a press conference on Tuesday, March 38, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Damagun will replace Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman of the party, pending the determination of the matter in court.
A High Court in Benue State on Monday, March 27, stopped Ayu from parading himself as the National Chairman of the PDP.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi granted the order after hearing an ex-parte application filed before the court.
The ex-parte application was brought by Conrad Utaan, who sought an order to stop Ayu and the PDP from parading the former as its chairman, having lost party membership.
Justice Kpochi explained that he granted the temporary injunction requested by the applicant after considering the issues raised in the written address.
The matter was adjourned to April 17, 2023, for a hearing.
Ayu was suspended on Sunday, March 27, by the Executive Committee of the PDP in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State for alleged anti-party activities.
Reacting to the suspension, Ayu declared that only the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has the constitutional powers to suspend him.
The PDP national chairman stated that there was no constitutional backing for any organ of the party or executive committee at either the ward, state or national levels to take disciplinary measures against any member of the party’s NEC.
The crisis started in the party shortly after the governorship and state assembly elections when the party decided to suspend some prominent members like former Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose and former Senate President Pius Anyim, over alleged anti-party activities.
The party also referred Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, who was accused of the same offence, to a disciplinary committee.
A reporter with the ICIR
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