PDP leadership crisis: Imo chapter backs Damagun-led NWC

The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed its total support for the Umar Damagun-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

The chapter has debunked reports in some quarters that the party in the state has endorsed a purported new acting chairman.

In a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Lancelot Obiaku, the party stated that such reports can only be the handiwork of alleged impersonators and fifth columnists working in sync with enemies of the party to distort the peace, tranquility, and evident progress of Imo PDP in recent months.

“We wish to categorically say that at no time did the Hon. Austin Nwachukwu-led State Working Committee (SWC) and the State Executive Committee (SEC), stakeholders, or any other organ of the party endorse any other person as the Acting National Chairman of our great party.

“Instructively, Imo PDP is aware of the subsisting and binding judgment of a Federal High Court barring any unlawful suspension or removal of Amb. Damagun other than through a national convention. Importantly, the verdict aligns with the party’s constitution, which we all swore to abide by. Articles 42, 47, and 67 of our constitution are clear on that. Any person or group averse to this shows themselves as irresponsible,” he stated.

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Obiaku further stated that the party in the state stands on its earlier position regarding the office of the National Secretary of the party, currently occupied by Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, whose leadership, according to him, has helped to lift the PDP in the state and Nigeria in general.

The spokesperson for the party pointed out that PDP leadership in the state has confidence in the ability of the Damagun-led national leadership to steer the party to greater heights and navigate through a successful national congress by December next year, which he believes will meet the wishes of party members.

“For us in Imo PDP, we are focused on strengthening our platforms and providing viable opposition to the APC-led state government that has destroyed every fabric of the state’s economy and set the state astonishingly light years backward, to the end that we will assume leadership of the state at all levels in 2027, as is the wish of the vast majority of Imo people. We are, therefore, too busy to entangle ourselves in self-imposed distractions as we look forward to delivering on our core mandate,” he declared.