The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appointed the Deputy National Chairman (North), Amb. Umar Ililya Damagum to act as National Chairman.
National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Debo Ologunagba disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
He said that the NWC took the decision on Tuesday, March 28 at an emergency meeting, following an order of the Benue State High Court on Monday, March 27 on the chairmanship position of the party.
Recall that the Executive Committee of the PDP in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State had on Sunday suspended National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu with immediate effect.
Ayu’s woes were compounded on Monday as Justice W.I. Kpochi issued an interim injunction restraining him from parading himself as National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The judge gave the order in suit No. MHC/85/2023 filed by Terhide Utaan with Ayu and the PDP as defendants.
The application was supported by a 15-paragraph affidavit to which was annexed three exhibits marked as exhibits A1, A2 and B, which were the applicant’s membership card of the second defendant (PDP), receipts for payment of dues, and a vote of no confidence passed on the 1st defendant (Ayu) by the Igyorov Council Ward of the 2nd defendant in Gboko Local Government, Benue State.
The court statement said, “Upon hearing Mr. M. T. Assoh of Learned Counsel ably move the application and upon a dispassionate consideration of the facts placed before me in the pool of the affidavit evidence, and again, upon the consideration of the issues distilled in the written address by M. T. Assoh of Learned Counsel, it is my candid view that this is a proper case to grant the interim injunction as craved.
“Consequently, this application is hereby granted in terms of the reliefs captured in the motion papers as herein before reproduced. It is so ordered.”
Justice Kpochi adjourned the case until April 17 for further hearing.
“After a careful consideration of the Court Order and in line with Section 45 (2) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017), the NWC resolved that the Deputy National Chairman (North) His Excellency, Amb. Umar Ililya Damagum assumes the National Chairmanship of our Party in acting capacity with effect from today, Tuesday, March 28, 2023.
“The NWC charges all leaders, critical stakeholders, teeming members and supporters of our great Party to remain calm and united at this critical time,” Ologunagba said.