Damagum remains suspended as PDP chair, says Ugochinyere

The spokesman for the opposition Federal Lawmakers Coalition, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has welcomed the suspension of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, by a faction of the party’s National Working Committee.

Recall that following the suspension of Damagum and others, the party’s working committee approved the appointment of Yayari Mohammed, the incumbent national treasurer of the PDP as the Acting National Chairman.

However, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday restrained the National Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the PDP from removing Damagum from office.

The court ordered that no other person must be recognised as PDP national chairman other than Damagum until the national convention of the party scheduled for December next year.

Justice Lifu issued the restraining order against PDP NEC, BoT and others while delivering judgment in a suit instituted against them by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina.

The judge held that in line with Articles 42, 47 and 67 of PDP, it is only at the national convention of the party that new national officers can be elected.

In his reaction on Friday, Ugochinyere disagreed with Justice Lifu, noting that the court order didn’t stop the NWC from suspending Damagum.

He insisted that “Yayari Mohammed remains the acting chairman while the party awaits the NEC meeting later this month.”

He urged the courts to stay away from PDP internal affairs.