NATIONAL CHAIRMAN ABANDONED EDO COUNCIL CHAIRMEN,
RECYCLING RIVERS CRISIS
AND ABANDONED PARTY UNITY
SAYS—OBASEKI EX- MEDIA AIDE ATU
PDP Chieftain and Senior Special Assistant on Media in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration, as well as former Spokesman to the Deputy Governor Comrade Philip Shaibu, Mr. Benjamin Atu, has accused PDP National Chairman Amb. Umar Ililya Damagum of recycling the same crisis that he was brought in to resolve, saying that the party has been left to drift as no one is concerned about the dethroned local Government Council Chairmen in Edo State, and that no effort has been made to reconcile aggrieved members.
He described the National Chairman’s swift directive to the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, to issue a disclaimer against the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, yesterday, when he declared that the NWC’s acceptance of the court verdict, which affirmed Governor Similaye Fubara faction of the party’s Rivers State executive as authentic the Ewor-led Rivers State Exco.
“If the National Chairman was as proactive in countering Fubara’s victory, why did he not issue the same order for a solidarity statement one month after Edo State’s local government council chairmen were removed?” If he was a unifier, he would not have ordered a counter-directive to the National Publicity Secretary’s Statement. His special interests in the Rivers case need to be explained.” he said
Benjamin Atu, who expressed concern about the operation of political parties in Nigeria, said, “Political parties in Nigeria are operated as a hustle association, godfathered by some self-proclaimed leaders who benefit from every political crisis.” The NWC’s actions are not geared towards maintaining a stable, viable, and sustainable democracy, as democracy cannot be consolidated in an environment where only one individual determines the direction of a political system.
He blamed the fragile nature of PDP to lack of political commitment to national Course.
The former media aide in the Obaseki administration, who lamented victimisation by the Party leadership yesterday for openly declaring his support for Governor Similaye Fubara faction of the party party, said he was
removed from all PDP National platforms by Bisi, on the directive of the party’s national leadership. Whether I am removed or not, hatred for the River State Governor is not expected from a political party that cares about the people.
According to him, the PDP denied on a public platform that they had not yet seen any court judgement directing them to recognise Fubara’s faction of the Party’s executive, despite the fact that I had a copy of the same judgement signed and delivered to the PDP office. I knew it was a lie because I was holding a copy of the judgement signed by the PDP office as received. While the debate continues, I shared the certified true copy stamped on the same platform. However, because I insisted that the River State PDP structure be handed over to Governor Fubara in order for peace to reign, I was attacked by those who believe that Wike should control the party rather than Fubara, but because I posted evidence that silenced them in my support for Fubara, Bisi removed me from various national platforms as directed.
Atu, who frowned at the party’s actions, stated that “the duty of a leader is much more than taking sides; it is about bringing sides together.” The current posture of Amb. Umar Ililya Damagum has shown that he is representing a perculiar interest and not the Party’s interest. A National Chairman is a father who should lead from the front, but he has failed on every front.
“The Edo State PDP has been in crisis, with all 18 Local Government Council Chairmen illegally removed from office, but the party’s national leadership has turned a deaf ear.” The Edo State PDP Election Tribunal sitting has been marked by daily gunshots, but the National Chairman has not issued a solidarity statement of assurance. The APC forcibly took over the Edo State Party Secretariat and hoisted their flags, with no reaction from the party. However, in less than 24 hours, the same National Chairman in the case of River State, who has abandoned Edo, could issue a counter-statement against Governor Similaye Fubara’s faction of the party, affirming them as authentic. Why is the National Chairman so concerned about River State? Stakeholders are waiting and watching the ongoing macabre dance.
The online Publisher of NBI and Veteran Broadcaster maintained that if we concid that the past was bad, why is Damagum recycling it? If we have a general consensus that Ayu didn’t manage the party crisis very well, then What has changed between the PDP Damagum inherited and the one he has birthed.
In a statement issued today in response to the PDP NWC’s negligence and selective justice, Atu accused the Party’s National Chairman of contributing to party instability by conducting party affairs as a primitive war in a Machiavellian manner where the end justifies the means. A political party, he said should be a melting point and not a promoter of division. “The crude manner in which political activities are handled in the PDP has increased daily political switching from the party by political gladiators as Governors defect. Those who do not want the party to unite should not lead it, he stated.
He, however, warned against giving the PDP a bad name through mob rule, stating that the purpose of leadership is to resolve crises, not to amplify them. The party leadership should stop making excuses and lamenting. The purpose of the leadership is to bring the party out of Lamentations and not to submerged the party in Lamentations.
“The PDP has been trimmed to all political sails and wind. The NWC should come together and build a new Party on the ruins of the old. The erosion of public trust in the party is jeopardising the party’s chances in every state of the federation ahead of the 2027 general election. We cannot continue to struggle with a political party in which those who should be leading from the front are engaged in worldly pomp and vain glory.
Benjamin Atu
cpsetsakoeast@gmail.com