At least 60 of the about 100 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives are threatening to jump ship if the Acting National Chairman of the opposition party does not vacate his seat.
A member of the House from Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, and five others gave indication of the plan of the members at a press conference in Abuja.
He was again on Channels Television on Monday evening reiterating his position that the party had been sold out to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The aggrieved PDP members asked for the removal of the Acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, before its rescheduled National Executive Council meeting.
Said Ugochinyere and the five others in a prepared text: “Immediate resignation of Umar Iliya Damagun as Ag. National Chairman of PDP for anti-party activities and allow North central produce the acting chairman as clearly stated in the PDP constitution or watch us reconsider our membership of the party in the months ahead if the right thing is not done.
“Or removal of Umar Iliya Damagun by the NEC of the Party with further sanctions against him for his anti-party activities.
“That the NEC of the Party should ensure that the list of party Caretaker Committees in Rivers State and all other 10 states tampered by Damagun and his APC Friends are reversed and announced as originally agreed, that is by extension of the tenures of the outgoing leadership.
“That the move to use serving APC Members in rivers state and 10 other states to lead our party caretaker at state, lga and ward level is the highest act of political provocation and impunity that we are going to fight with everything in us. PDP cant be handed over the APC. APC officers cant emerge our party officials in rivers any of the 10 states with alleged imposition of APC interest.
“Let the world know that why they are hell bent on imposing APC officials as our party caretaker members is to fulfil a planned bigger plot which will see so called PDP members who in reality are APC members decamping in mass into APC as PDP officials which will see the imposed executives of our party in over 11 states including rivers joining APC on their set date just to embarrass our party, hence our resistance that we will fight with every thing in us and to any length to resist that plan. God save the PDP. Just imagine imposing card carrying members of APC in the entire PDP structures in Rivers and 10 other states, God how did we get here.
“That NEC of PDP should review the sources of generating finance for the party to pay its National secretariat staff and to discharge all other responsibilities of the party and to investigate the allegation that pro APC supporters are funding the present PDP of today. this is the height of political treason.
“That PDP NEC sets up a Committee to investigate all continuing acts of anti-party activities from 2023 and mete out appropriate sanctions which will serve as deterrent and also encourage cleansing of the party.Ward executive of our party where people played anti party activities or still playing it like cross river, Rivers, Benue, Abia, Ondo, Kano, Kogi, Edo, etc should immediately announce the expulsion of all those involved without fear or favour. This must be done immediately. Any executive that can do this should be removed by members in those wards and new officers who has the courage to enforce the provisions of our party constitution constituted to do the needful.
“That a credible party leader from the North Central be confirmed Chairman of the party in line with the zoning formula as enshrined in the Constitution.
“Where these demands are not met, we the Opposition lawmakers coalition from PDP in the National Assembly will be left with no other options but suspend participating in the party activities and seek new political relationship where decisions in that party will not be taken in the Secretariats of another political party. But this is the last of the last paths where every other reasonable effort at resolution fails.”
