A faction of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have suspended the party’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum; and Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for alleged anti-party activities.
The decision to suspend the two national officers was taken at an emergency meeting held by a majority of members of the NWC which ended in the wee hours of Friday.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, confirmed this development, in a statement conveying the NWC’s decision at 3:18 a.m Rivers.
The statement read: “The National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP has extensively considered the series of complaints raised against the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Illiya Damagum and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, particularly with regard to the letter addressed by them to the Court of Appeal in Appeal against the Party’s position in the case involving the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who vacated their seats upon decamping from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“The NWC condemned this anti-party activity of the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary, which is in gross violation of the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) and their Oath of Office.
“Consequently, the NWC, pursuant to Sections 57, 58 and 59 of the PDP Constitution, has suspended Amb. Illiya Damagum and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as Acting National Chairman and National Secretary of the Party, respectively, and referred them to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action.
“In the meantime, the two officials are suspended from all meetings, activities and programmes of the NWC pending the conclusion of investigation by the National Disciplinary Committee.
Hitherto, the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, had earlier compelled all party members to endeavour to appear before the party’s disciplinary committee should they be summoned.
Chairman of the BoT, Senator Adolphus Wabara, had at the 78th meeting of the board urged the NWC to expediate action and ensure that the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, meets on October 24 as scheduled.
In the dame vein, the National Working Committee also suspended the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba after issuing a press release on the suspension.
He was suspended alongside the National Legal Adviser of the Party, pending the determination of allegations of disloyalty and insubordination levelled against the duo.
Ibrahim Abdullahi and Barr Okechukwu Osuoha, who are deputies in the directorates are now in acting capacity.
