Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, the spokesperson for the opposition lawmakers alliance in Nigeria, stated that the PDP’s National Working Committee proceeded with the dismissal of acting National Chairman Illiya Damagun despite a court injunction.
He claimed that before Damagun’s long-overdue dismissal as PDP Chairman, there had been no order from a Federal or State High Court.
Recall that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) authorized the appointment of Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed, the PDP’s current national treasurer, as the Acting National Chairman subsequent to the suspension of Ambassador Illiya Damagun as the Party’s Acting National Chairman and others.
However, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee were prevented on Friday by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja from dismissing Ambassador Umar Damagun from his position as the party’s acting national chairman.
The court mandated that Damagun be the only person acknowledged as the PDP national chairman until the party’s national conference, which is set for December of the following year.
In the course of rendering a decision in a lawsuit brought by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina against PDP NEC, BoT, and other parties, Justice Lifu imposed the restraining order against them.
According to the court, national offices can only be chosen at the PDP National Convention, in accordance with Articles 42, 47, and 67 of the party charter.
In response, Ugochinyere criticized the ruling, claiming that the PDP’s National Working Committee had already fired acting National Chairman Illiya Damagun before the court injunction had prevented it.
He added that once Damagun was suspended, the “Justice Lifu order” in favor of the PDP side backed by Wike and the APC was issued.
While the party waits for the NEC meeting later this month, he insists that Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed continue to serve as interim chair.
But he encouraged the judges to avoid interfering with internal party matters.
