A photo collage of Amb. Umar Damagum and Chief Edwin Clark A photo collage of Amb. Umar Damagum and Chief Edwin Clark... CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Umar Damagum has responded to critics who have questioned his leadership style.
This follows recent criticisms by Chief Edwin Clark and former Party Spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan regarding his handling of party activities in Rivers State and the allegations of anti-party activities leveled against Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Clark, a chieftain of the party, accused Damagum of tolerating Wike, whom he accused of working against the party’s interests in the 2023 presidential elections. The elder statesman expressed concern that no disciplinary action had been taken against the FCT Minister.
Former National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a television interview on Arise Television last week, urged members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to pass a vote of no confidence on Damagum for his handling of the Rivers case.
During the inauguration of the PDP’s National Disciplinary and Reconciliation committees, Damagum took the opportunity to respond to these criticisms.
To Chief Clark, Damagum said, “I want to use this opportunity also to address a letter from our elder statesman that has been brought to my attention. I don’t intend to speak much on it.
“I will borrow Olisa Metuh’s remarks from 2015 when Edwin Clark, left the party. There’s no doubt that he is an elder statesman.
“But I thought that when you reach that age, God has given you the opportunity and wisdom to be a father to all, not to engage in public arguments.
“He has all it takes to do the needful, not by taking a sentimental approach to the situation. I was not raised to be disrespectful to elders, so I don’t intend to dwell on this further.”
Responding to Ologbodiyan and other critics, the party chairman said, “I don’t know, maybe it is the wish of some for the party to die.
“But honestly speaking, as a dedicated member of this party, you should always speak positively of your party.
“Yes, we may have various interests, but the party will outlive all of us. Some of our founding fathers have left us, but the party is still functioning.
“And I am proud to say that today in this country, the only development you see everywhere comes from our governance.
“If you go to any state governed by the PDP, you will see the difference. It has been inherent in us; we have remained a very people-oriented party, bringing development to the people, and we stand out.
“So, sometimes I feel sad. I also want to use this opportunity to clear certain insinuations that have been trending on social media.
“Last I checked, the signatories of this party are the chairman and the secretary.
“Just because the chairman and secretary signed a letter, it has become an issue. People are making all sorts of insinuations about it. I don’t want to engage with the other person—it’s a distraction.
“But it pains me when I see someone who knows the workings of the NWC going on television to mislead the audience and say things that are not correct. It is painful. Very, very painful.
“There is precedent for what we did. During Kashamu’s case, the chairman and secretary brought it to the Supreme Court. There was also the issue of Anambra.
“Two issues arose. The chairman and secretary, in any situation, work as a team. I don’t make decisions without consulting my members.”
