•Umar Damagum
The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Iliya Damagum, has disclosed that several members who left the party to join a rival political coalition are now returning.
Damagum made the revelation today at the party’s 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, where he dismissed the coalition as a failed political experiment and reaffirmed the PDP’s readiness to reclaim power in the 2027 general elections.
The NEC meeting drew key figures across the PDP hierarchy, including state chairpersons, governors, federal lawmakers, and other major stakeholders, reports Vanguard.
In his remarks, Damagum praised the resilience of the PDP, describing it as the only party with the structure, national reach, and legacy strong enough to lead Nigeria forward.
“Many who jumped on the coalition bandwagon have already returned to our fold. Some even claim they never left and merely attended a meeting. We accept their confessions without prejudice,” Damagum said.
He noted that the reversal wasn’t limited to PDP members alone, revealing that some individuals from other parties who joined the coalition had also returned, describing the alliance as ‘ill-fated.’
Damagum also commended the party’s state chairmen, governors, and legislators for their unwavering loyalty.
He described the governors as the ‘backbone’ of the PDP and lauded the lawmakers for confronting unpopular government policies and setting a standard for state assemblies.
“The Peoples Democratic Party remains the only party that is not only poised and ready to take back power, but also the only party with the structure, national acceptability, and legacy capable of bearing the weight of this great national undertaking,” he declared.
He urged party members to be united and sincere in their contributions during the NEC meeting, encouraging them to focus on what would benefit both the PDP and the Nigerian people.
“As we deliberate on the next steps for our great party, I urge us all to be of one mind, to speak truthfully, and to make wise recommendations without prejudice,” Damagum said.
