…Demands sack of Damagum, Wike, Anyanwu
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The end may not yet be in sight for the gale of defection which has hit the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as two more Governors and 49 law makers are set to dump the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
This was revealed Friday by the Nigeria Lawmakers Opposition Coalition.
The coalition has gone ahead to demand the immediate sack of the party’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum; the PDP’s 2023 governorship candidate in Imo State, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; and the expulsion of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. They cited disillusionment with the party’s leadership and lack of direction as reason for their action.
This is coming barely 72 hours after the 2023 vice presidential candidate of the PDP, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; and Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori, of Delta State dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Congress.
Spokesman of the Coalition, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, disclosed this during a press conference held in his hometown of Akokwa.
He expressed disappointment over the state of affairs in the party, adding that the founding fathers of the party would be very ashamed of the party.
Ugochinyere accused the current leadership of sabotaging the platform that brought them to prominence.
The coalition also called for the emergence of a substantive national chairman from the North Central zone to save the party from collapse.
“For two years, the leaders of this party have failed to find a solution to its internal crisis because they are actively undermining the very platform that made them,” Ugochinyere stated.
The coalition criticized Damagum’s statements invoking divine guidance, questioning his inaction during critical party decisions.
“Where was God when you allowed the North Central to be sidelined in appointing an acting chairman? Where was God when you supported APC defectors in court? Or when party structures were handed to APC members? And yet you speak of faith in God?”
He also questioned the continued membership of Wike in the PDP despite his open collaboration with the APC-led Federal Government.
