PDP faction appoints Yayari Mohammed as acting national chair

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appointed Yayari Mohammed as the party’s acting national chair.

The development follows the suspension of Kamaldeen Ajibade, PDP’s national legal adviser, and Debo Ologunagba, national spokesperson of the party, on Friday.

The duo were suspended by the national working committee (NWC) led by Umar Damagum, acting national chair of the PDP, for alleged anti-party activities.

In a statement signed by Ologunagba, a faction of the NWC announced the suspension of Damagum and Sam Anyanwu, national secretary of the PDP, citing anti-party activities.

Ologunagba, while speaking for the group, said Mohammed’s appointment is in line with the PDP’s amended constitution of 2017 and takes immediate effect.

“Following the suspension of His Excellency, Ambassador Illiya Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Working Committee (NWC) has approved the appointment of Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed as the Acting National Chairman,” the statement reads.

“The appointment which takes immediate effect is pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).

“The NWC calls on all Organs, leaders, critical stakeholder and members of our great Party to remain focused at this critical time especially as the NWC commences arrangements towards the holding of the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting already scheduled for Thursday, 24th October, 2024.”

Meanwhile, a federal high court in Abuja has restrained the NEC and BoT of the PDP from removing Damagum as the acting national chair.

In a judgment delivered via Zoom on Friday, Peter Lifu, the presiding judge, ordered that aside Damagum, no other person must be recognised as the PDP acting national chair until the party’s convention scheduled for December 2025.