Damagum warns PDP state leaders against disloyalty amid party crisis

Umar Damagum, the embattled national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged state chairmen to remain loyal to the party, warning that betrayal carries consequences.

Speaking on Thursday during a meeting with the Forum of State PDP Chairmen in Abuja, Damagum said those who act against the party risk the law of karma. “Treachery, especially to an institution that has made you what you are today, will not heal. What goes around comes around,” he said.

Damagum also defended the relevance of the PDP in Nigeria’s political landscape. “People are saying the PDP is dead. Today, in Nigeria, the story is about the PDP. We are ready and capable of navigating internal challenges and addressing national issues,” he added.

He further warned the federal government against intimidating opposition politicians, stressing that the PDP would continue to pursue its goals lawfully. “We will not be intimidated by anyone who feels that, because God has given him the opportunity, he can behave as he likes. It is temporary,” Damagum said.

The state chairmen at the meeting pledged their loyalty to the party and expressed support for the forthcoming national convention scheduled for November 15.

The PDP has been embroiled in a leadership crisis, with two factions claiming control of the chairmanship. Damagum’s faction recently suspended several party officials for alleged anti-party activities.

In response, the rival faction led by Samuel Anyanwu, backed by Nyesom Wike, suspended Damagum and other top officials, appointing Abdulrahman Mohammed as acting national chairman.

The dispute has also drawn legal interventions. An Abuja high court ordered a suspension of the party’s planned convention over procedural breaches, while a court in Ibadan upheld the party’s plan to hold the convention on November 15 and 16.