•PDP Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum
Crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today took another dimension as National Ex-Officio and ex-Spokesmen of the party, Olisa Metuh and Kola Ologbondiyan, berated the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum for denigrating the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Debo Ologunagba.
Damagum had in a statement yesterday, while reacting to Ologunagba’s interactive session with the media on Sunday over the position of PDP on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said that the party spokesman was not authorised to make such a statement, reports Daily Independent.
Ologunagba had during the interactive session said that INEC cannot stop the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for June 30.
Damagum, in the statement said: “My attention, as the Ag. National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been drawn to a recent press interactions comments made by our National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, concerning the Party’s scheduled 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and the purported position of the Party regarding communications from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Let me clearly and unequivocally state that the comment by Hon. Debo Ologunagba was made without the authority or approval of the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great Party.”
Angered by this development, Ologbondiyan on his Facebook page said that Damagum’s action is completely unacceptable and a major affront to the authority of NEC, the National Working Committee (NWC) and the sensibility of all PDP members.
He said: “I read the statement credited to the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Ilyasu Damagum, dismissing the media interface of our National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, with utter disappointment.
“Damagum came after Ologunagba for re-echoing the unanimous resolution of our National Executive Committee (NEC), that the next meeting (100th) would be held on June 30th.
“This latest action by Damagum is completely unacceptable and a major affront to the authority of NEC, the NWC and the sensibility of all PDP members.
“There are two cardinal offences against the spirit of the PDP from this latest action of Amb. Damagum; he has sought to torpedo a decision of NEC and secondly brought our party to a public odium.
“The leaders of the PDP must take action immediately to stem this attempt by Amb. Damagum to destroy the legacy party, the PDP.”
Also on his Facebook page, Metuh, a former spokesman of the party said that Damagum’s action is an act capable of bringing the party into great disrepute, adding that it is a cardinal offence against the party’s Constitution.
Metuh said: “Since I left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over three years ago, I have refrained from commenting and/or discussing partisan politics. However, my heart bleeds when I read about the present happenings in this party formed and birthed, largely by the famed G34 as bastion of democracy and of hope for the Nigeria people
“I just read that the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagum publicly denied the press interactive session addressed by the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba. I do hope this is fake news at work. Otherwise, this is an act capable of bringing the party into great disrepute, and this is a cardinal offence against the party’s constitution.
“Besides, how can the press and the public continue to believe future statements from the party’s National Publicity Secretary.
“Yes, it remains my concern because this is a party that I gave the best part of my youth and middle age. I served the party at the national level from the age of 33 for an interrupted 17 years as an elected member of the National Executive Member.
“We need the PDP and other parties to remain strong and act as credible opposition platforms to help strengthen and deepen our democracy. Nigeria deserves a democracy where policies and programmes will be debated openly and options and alternatives proffered by all interests.”
In their resolution on the media Interactive session held by Hon. Ologunagba, the party ex-officio members expressed shock over Damagum’s action, adding that the interactive session was in line with his constitutional duty.
The National Ex-Officio members, in a statement by its chairman, Hon. Chief Faboyede Clement and Secretary, Hon. Comfort Yassan, said, “the attention of the National Ex-Officio Members of our great party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a public statement by the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagum in which the Acting National Chairman attempted to discredit the media interaction held on Sunday, June 22nd 2025 by the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba restating the resolution of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) which unanimously scheduled its 100th meeting for Monday, 30th June 2025
“The Ex-Officio members are shocked by the statement of the Acting National Chairman, who ought to be the custodian of the Constitution of our Party and ensure that resolutions of every organ of the Party are faithfully implemented.
“The media interaction by the National Publicity was in line with his constitutional duty in conveying the resolutions, activities, policies and programmes of our party.
“The National Ex-Officio members hereby reaffirms our confidence in the National Publicity Secretary and express our solidarity and support for him in the performance of his constitutional duty in the overall interest of our Party.”
