Barring any unforeseen changes, the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) power-sharing committee has recommended the swapping of positions in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) among the states, effectively preventing the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Illya Damagum; the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and other members of the NWC from retaining their current positions, THISDAY’s investigation has learnt.
The party will hold its National Convention from August 28 to 30, 2025 in Kano, where a new national chairman and other members of the NWC will emerge.
However, THISDAY gathered that the recommendations, which will be ratified at the June 30 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party, sustained the current zoning of the offices of the NWC among the six geopolitical zones to enable each zone to retain the positions it currently occupies.
However, the committee recommended the swapping of offices of the NWC among the states so that no state will retain the office it currently occupies.
Faced with the emerging development, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Damagum, is said to be weighing several options on his political future, including possible defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the 2027 governorship election in Yobe State as it has become obvious that no PDP NWC member will return to his present office at the National Convention, but could contest for another position.
THISDAY gathered from a source privy to the recommendations of the Diri committee that while each of the six geographical zones will retain the current offices it occupies, the positions will be swapped among the states within each zone.
In the committee’s preliminary report that is yet to be adopted by the relevant organs of the party, the North Central zone will occupy the office of the national chairman that was originally zoned to it in the 2021 national convention.
However, it will not be necessarily zoned to Benue State but to all the states of the North Central geopolitical zone.
Consequently, Damagum is said to be considering defecting to the APC to contest for the governor of Yobe State.
According to sources in Damagum’s Wadata Plaza PDP office in Wuse, Abuja, the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni is dangling the offer of APC governorship ticket to him if he defects to the ruling party.
Buni is said to be Damagum ‘s close friend.
However, another source within the NWC of PDP has dismissed the defection rumour, stating that Damagum’s sour relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, will truncate his governorship ambition on the APC platform.
”We are aware of the defection plot but he will be rubbished by Wike, who will mobilise against him. The FCT minister is very powerful in APC,” the source said.
The source stated that Damagum is yet to make up his mind.
He, however, ruled out his return as the substantive national chairman of the party.
The source also confirmed that the position has been returned to the North-central zone, but not particularly to Benue State.
Similarly, the office of the National Secretary, currently zoned to Imo State would be moved to any other state in the South-east, according to Diri’s committee’s recommendations.
The committee recommended that no state would retain its current position in the NWC.
THISDAY was reliably informed that the June 30 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting would ratify the Diri’s office sharing formula.
A member of the NWC explained that with the proposed zoning arrangement, it is expected that the next presidential candidate of the PDP will come from the South.
”To be honest, some of us in the NWC are looking forward to a presidential candidate from the south and particularly the South-east. Atiku Abubukar should forget it.
“The mood of the nation suggests that the PDP look towards the South. There are credible persons that can run as the presidential candidate and we are looking for a strong running mate from the North,” the member of NWC stated.
Chuks Okocha
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