Two former National Publicity Secretaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh and Kola Ologbodinyan, as well as National Ex-Officio members of the party have collectively condemned their acting National Chairman, Amb Umar Damagum, over his attack on the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
They, however, passed a vote of confidence in the National Publicity Secretary, and his media interaction was within his line of duty. Damagum had disowned Ologunagba’s interaction with the media on Sunday, and said he acted without authorisation and consultation with the leadership of the party.
But Metuh, who has resigned his membership of PDP, said Damagum’s denial of Ologunagba’s media interaction was capable of bringing the party into disrepute. “Besides, how can the press and the public continue to believe future statements from the party’s National Publicity Secretary,” he wondered.
Metuh said Nigeria needs the PDP and other parties to remain strong and act as credible opposition platforms to help strengthen and deepen our democracy. Ologbodinyan on his part expressed disappointment at Damagum’s action and described it as “heavy affront to NEC.”
He defended Ologunagba, and said his views were the unanimous resolution of the PDP’s last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, that the next meeting of the party would hold on June 30. “This latest action by Damagum is completely unacceptable and a major affront to the authority of NEC, the NWC and the sensibility of all PDP members.
“There are two cardinal offences against the spirit of the PDP from this latest action of Amb. Damagum; he has sought to torpedo a decision of NEC and secondly brought our party to a public odium,” he stated, and called on the party leaders to “take action immediately to stem this attempt by Amb. Damagum to destroy the legacy party, the PDP.”
The PDP National Ex-Officio members, in a statement by Chief Faboyede O. Clement, Hon. Comfort Yassan, Chairman and Secretary respectively, expressed shock at the National Chairman’s statement, who he said, “ought to be the custodian of the constitution of our party and ensure that resolutions of every organ of the Party are faithfully implemented.”
The group stated that the media interaction by the National Publicity was in line with his constitutional duty in conveying the resolutions, activities, policies and programs of the party.
