Amidst the swirling political maelstrom besieging the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a powerful coalition of 29 State Chairmen delivered a dramatic declaration of support on Thursday, firmly endorsing the leadership of Ambassador Umar Damagum as the authentic National Chairman.
The unified front, emerging from a pivotal meeting in Abuja, represents a decisive internal victory for the Damagum faction and a categorical rejection of the perceived rival leadership.
The Forum of PDP State Chairmen, reading from a communiqué, unequivocally affirmed their loyalty, stating, “The Forum unequivocally reaffirms its total support, confidence, and loyalty to the National Chairman of our great Party, Umar Damagum, and the entire National Working Committee (NWC).”
In a direct address to the internal power struggle, the communiqué dissociated the Forum from the “purported Abdurahman leadership,” stressing with finality that “the PDP has only one National Chairman His Excellency, Umar Damagum.”
Mr. Tony Aziegbemi, the Edo State Chairman and Chairman of the Forum, read the statement, which further lauded a recent judgment by Justice Akintola of the Ibadan High Court. This ruling, they contend, has now “paved the way for the conduct of the forthcoming National Elective Convention scheduled for November 15-16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State.”
The Chairmen consequently urged all legitimate delegates to begin earnest preparations for the convention, where they will elect competent and loyal new members to the National Working Committee.
Speaking earlier, Ambassador Damagum offered a strikingly defiant assessment of the party’s turmoil, describing the persistent challenges as a “good omen.”
“People are saying the PDP is dead. Today, in Nigeria, the story is about PDP. So you don’t say a story of something that does not exist. This is an attestation that PDP is alive,” he asserted.
However, he used the moment to issue a searing rebuke to his opponents, calling on “our colleagues that the devil is using to see wisdom in casting the devil in them because treachery… will not heal.”
Invoking the principle of cosmic retribution, the Chairman delivered a veiled warning: “You may be lucky now, but there is law of Karma. What goes around comes around… I will leave this on this note. They say a word is enough for us.”
He also cautioned those attempting to humiliate, intimidate, and harass citizens pursuing their rights, reminding them that their position of power is “a temporary one.”
The State Chairmen commended the “effective and collaborative leadership” of the National Working Committee under Damagum, the Governors’ Forum under Senator Bala Mohammed, and the Board of Trustees (BOT) under Senator Adolphus Wabara, noting that this synergy is vital to “stabilising and repositioning the Party.”
Crucially, the communiqué re-emphasised the imperative of discipline within the party structure, calling on all State Chapters to not hesitate in invoking the relevant constitutional provisions to discipline “erring members whose conduct undermines unity, cohesion, and the collective interest of the PDP.”
The Forum’s decisive action reaffirms an unwavering commitment to unity and electoral success, pledging to work closely with the national leadership to strengthen internal democracy and rebuild public confidence in the embattled party.
