PDP Crisis: Court Bars NEC, BoT from Sacking Damagum

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has restrained the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Umar Damagum from his position as the Acting National Chairman. The court ruled that Damagum must remain in office until the party’s national convention, scheduled for December next year, in accordance with PDP’s internal regulations.

The judge emphasized that, according to Articles 42, 47, and 67 of the PDP Constitution, only the national convention has the authority to elect or remove national officers, effectively barring any unilateral action by the NEC or BoT.

The ruling came in response to a suit filed by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina, the PDP Chairman in Yobe State, who alleged that some party stakeholders were secretly planning to oust Damagum in violation of the party’s constitution. Maina also claimed that Phillip Salawu, a former deputy governor of Kogi State, was being promoted as a replacement.

Maina, through his counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Joshua Musa, argued that the ongoing attempts to remove Damagum undermined the integrity of the PDP Constitution. He disclosed that he had sent letters to the party’s national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, detailing these concerns, but no action had been taken.

In his judgment, Justice Lifu ruled in favor of the plaintiff, affirming that party members are bound by the PDP Constitution and must adhere to its provisions. He further stated that Maina had a legitimate interest in the case, having demonstrated his PDP membership and raised a constitutional issue regarding the protection of the northern region’s interests within the party’s leadership structure.

The court’s decision protects Damagum’s position until the PDP’s national convention, ensuring that any changes to party leadership adhere strictly to the constitution.