•Amb. Umar Damagum
The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Umar Damagum, yesterday said the party’s zoning plan will reflect fairness, equity, and strategic thinking, as well as strengthen its unity, reward loyalty, and position the party for electoral victory.
Damagum said this while inaugurating the party’s 44-member National Convention Zoning Committee ahead of its National Congress, noting that the party is destined to remain a central force in Nigeria’s democratic journey, reports Daily Independent.
The inauguration, which is in preparation for the party’s National Congress scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State, will usher in a new National Working Committee (NWC) that will pilot the affairs of the party in the next four years.
Inaugurating the committee, the party’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, said that the party is bigger than any individual and stronger than momentary setback.
The committee, which is headed by Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri, according to Damagum, “Is the engine room where we lay the political foundation for the leadership of the PDP over the next four years. The decisions you take will shape our ability to serve Nigerians, win elections, and defend the democratic values we represent.”
Damagum said: “We operate in a dynamic political terrain, sometimes turbulent, always demanding the very best from us. In recent times, we have faced changes in leadership and the departure of some members who chose a different path. Yet we remain standing because the PDP is bigger than any individual, stronger than any momentary setback, and destined to remain a central force in Nigeria’s democratic journey.”
Damagum, who charged the yet-to-be elected NWC to be proactive said, “That is why the next National Working Committee must not only be representative, it should be visionary, courageous, and proactive. We need leaders of integrity, creativity, and capacity. We must place individuals who inspire confidence, mobilise effectively, and speak to the hopes of Nigerians.”
Damagum further said that the zoning process must reflect fairness, equity, and strategic thinking, as well as strengthen the unity, reward loyalty, and position the party for electoral victory.
“I trust that the Zoning Committee will approach its task with wisdom, foresight, and a full understanding of the bigger picture: PDP over anyone, and PDP above any personal interest.”
He urged members of the committee to keep in mind that the deputies are just as important as the principals.
The Acting Chairman charged members of the committee to note that loyalty and competence is very important while considering zoning.
“Loyalty is the lifeblood of our party. Without it, unity is impossible. Yet loyalty alone is not enough, it must walk hand in hand with competence. As you consider zoning, picture the calibre of individuals who may emerge from each zone. Ask yourselves, will this person embody the values and strength of the PDP in a way that makes us proud before the nation?
“Politics demands pragmatism, not sentiment; especially now, when the state of the economy has left many Nigerians disillusioned and disengaged from the democratic process. As a party, we should aim to make decisions that reignite hope and inspire confidence in our people,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Committee, Governor Diri, promised that the committee will be consultative, adding, “We will partner and we will be inclusive in ensuring that we arrive at a fair and just zoning formula for our party.”
The Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, who said that the party has navigated so many booby traps, disclosed that the PDP governors are behind the National Working Committee in its desire to make sure the party is repositioned for Nigerians to have a credible alternative with experience and the human capital and the foresight that the party is known for.
He said: “All the legacies and landmarks of democratic dividends have been provided by the PDP. I believe Nigerians are aware that whatever you see, that you are tangible in terms of measurable achievements, were done by PDP. The many years of APC administration has left woes and melancholy and hunger and anger.
“I assure you, the governors are behind this project of making Nigeria one and unified and bringing a leadership recruitment that will make Nigeria happy, irrespective of their personal interests.”
While Governor Diri is the Chairman of the Committee, other members include: Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State (Deputy Chairman); Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State (Secretary); Kabiri Tanimu Turaki and 40 others.
