By Emmanuel Oloniruha
The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike-backed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reversed the position of the party’s immediate past National Chairman, Umar Damagum to Deputy National Chairman, North.
The News Agency of Nigeria NAN reports that this was part of the resolutions at the party’s 2026 national convention held on Sunday in Abuja.
NAN also reports that the motion for the reversal of Damagum’s position was moved by a former House of Representatives member, Tajudeen Yusuf (Kogi) and seconded by a party stalwart, Bello Bichi.
Yusuf, while moving the motion, recalled that Damagum was appointed as substantive national chairman of the party by the resolution of PDP’s 102nd NEC meeting held in 2025.
NAN reports that another resolution of the convention was the ratification of the recent party’s congresses at the ward, local government and state levels.
The affected states included: Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Benue, Cross River, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara, Kogi, Ogun, Osun Nasarawa, Niger, Rivers and the FCT.
The convention also ratified the party’s zonal congresses in the North-East, South-South and the North-central.
The motion, moved by the senator representing Kogi-Central, Sen. Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, and seconded by Zainab Baku, was unanimously endorsed by the delegates.
Another resolution of the convention was the ratification of the dissolution of the Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Caretaker Working Committee to allow for the election of the party’s new executives.
Meanwhile, the National Secretary of the dissolved NCWC, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu has claimed that he is in possession of the original certificate of PDP.
Anyanwu made the claim while presenting details of the party’s report, under the leadership of Muhammad.
Anyanwu claimed to hold the authentic legal instruments of the party, framing it as a mark of continuity and legitimacy amidst the ongoing leadership disputes.
“I want to do something for sure; I want to show you that I have the original copy of the PDP certificate,” Anyanwu said.
He emphasised his role as the bridge between the 2021 National Working Committee (NWC) and the current transitional leadership.
On the party’s journey since Dec. 10, 2021, Anyanwu admitted that PDP had faced internal distress and wrangling that had threatened its formidable structure.
He described the period leading up to 2026 as one of the most challenging in the party’s history, marked by conflicting interests and legal battles.
However, Anyanwu noted that the party had successfully managed its financial obligations, including the debt inherited from previous administrations, while strictly adhering to accounting standards despite having several major accounts frozen by court orders.
He lauded the purposeful leadership of Muhammed, whom he described as a leader of extraordinary passion, saying that he shouldered the burden of sustaining the party during its “most triumphal” and trying events.
The national secretary urged all stakeholders and delegates to close ranks and embrace the spirit of unity.
He described PDP not just as a political organisation but as a “movement for democracy, progress and the Nigerian dream.” (NAN)
