Abuja, July 30, 2023 -The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will meet on Monday to review the ministerial nomination offered by the ruling party, APC, to Nyesom Wike, a chieftain of the PDP and former Governor of Rivers state.
The PDP is meeting to consider the propriety of such appointment coming from a rival party and in view of the party’s position on the result of the last presidential election being contended by the party at the presidential petition court.
Amb. Umar Damagum, the Acting National Chairman of PDP, said that consultation on the Wike issue had been on for sometime and the party would take a definite stand on the issue at Monday’s meeting.
“We are already consulting with the PDP Governors Forum on the matter and the National Working Committee (NWC) will be meeting on Monday to take a definite position on it,” Damagum said.
The chairman said the leadership of the party had been engaging the various party organs in consultations with a view to addressing the various challenges confronting the party.
“There is no lull in the PDP just because you have not seen us moving to the streets. Consultations are ongoing with key stakeholders.
“Among those we are consulting with are state chairmen, the PDP Governors Forum, past National Chairmen and a select group of PDP elders.
“We are also meeting with the leadership of the PDP Youth organ next week. So, we have not been idle as some people may think.”
Damagum said a meeting of the party’s National Executive Council had not been convened since there were still issues to be resolved before NEC meeting could hold.
Damagum, however, said he alone could not take the decision to convene NEC meeting.
“The fact that I am the chairman does not make me the Alpha and Omega in the PDP. There are stakeholders in other organs of the party who are also critical to any decision to convene the NEC. Among them are the organs I mentioned earlier and don’t forget that we still have our case in court,” he said.,
Damagum said he was neutral in the entire fray between Abubakar Atiku, the presidential candidate of the party, and Wike and promised that he would ever remain neutral in the overall interest of the PDP.
He said he was not aware of any moves by any group to remove him from his office.
