- Reconciliation Is Vital For Party’s Progress, Unity, Says Oyinlola
- Committee Mum On When NEC Meeting Would Hold, Says Not Part Of Its Discussions
- Court Stops Bala Mohammed-Led Faction From Holding NEC Meeting
By Babajide Okeowo
The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to have been resolved at the moment but apprehension about the long-term nature of the peace still lingers as scepticism still lingers.
While Olagunsoye Oyinlola, chairman of the national reconciliation committee of the party is bullish that the party’s national working committee (NWC) has been reconciled, The Matrix gathered that a Federal High Court sitting in Zamfara State has declined a request for an ex parte order by a faction backed by the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed, to hold the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
The Matrix reports that the main opposition party has been embroiled in an internal crisis since 2022 which has polarised its NWC.
READ ALSO: PDP Crisis Resolved, Says Oyinlola-Led Committee
The crisis ensured that the party was divided in the run-down to the 2023 general election and was a factor that led the loss of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar in the presidential election.
To resolve the crisis, the party’s leadership constituted a national reconciliation committee in August.
As the committee was getting down to work, the crisis took a new twist last week when a faction in the NWC suspended Umar Damagum, the acting national chairman, and Samuel Anyanwu, the national secretary, over alleged anti-party activities.
However, the Damagum-backed faction also suspended Kamaldeen Ajibade, the party’s national legal adviser, and Debo Ologunagba, the national spokesperson, for the same offence.
Hours later, Ologunagba’s faction announced the appointment of Yayari Mohammed as the party’s acting national chairman.
The federal high court in Abuja restrained the NEC, the highest decision-making organ of the party, and the Board Of Trustees (BoT) from removing Damagum as the acting national chair.
In a judgment delivered via Zoom, Peter Lifu, the presiding judge, ordered that apart from Damagum, no other person must be recognised as the PDP acting national chairman until the party’s convention in December 2025.
On October 15, Bala Mohammed, chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, said the suspension of the NWC members by various factions has been lifted. He asked all members to return to the status quo.
READ ALSO: PDP Crisis: Bala Mohammed’s Faction Seeks Court Order For NEC Meeting
So, hopes were in high gear when on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, the national reconciliation committee of the NWC met at the party’s headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking to journalists on the outcome of the meeting, Oyinlola said reconciliation is vital for the party’s progress and unity.
The former governor of Osun described the meeting as “fruitful”, but did not disclose the specific issues addressed.
“The outcome of today’s meeting is that, to the glory of God, we have been able to resolve the differences that have been causing our party some headache within the NWC,” he said.
“We thank God that we have been able to open up to ourselves and resolve to move on as a united NWC, which is what we needed for the progress of our party, the PDP.”
However, indications that the “peace” may be paper-thin emerged when Oyinlola declined to comment on whether the NEC meeting would hold on Thursday.
He noted that it was not part of the committee’s discussions.
More worrisome, while the Reconciliatory Committee’s meeting was ongoing in Abuja, a Federal High Court sitting in Zamfara State was ruling in a suit regarding the party.
The court declined a request for an ex parte order by a faction backed by the chairman of the party’s Governors Forum, Bala Mohammed, to hold the party’s NEC meeting.
The group approached the court for an order to hold the NEC meeting as the party’s factional crisis deepened.
Ruling on the case, Justice Salim Ibrahim declined the request.
It is left to be seen how lasting the peace will be.
