PDP Postpones NEC Meeting to Focus on Ondo Governorship Election Strategy
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced on Tuesday that its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, originally set for Thursday, has been postponed to 28 November 2024. This decision aims to prioritize the party’s strategy and mobilization efforts for the upcoming Ondo State governorship election on 16 November 2024.
The announcement came via a communiqué from the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, after a consultative meeting that included the National Working Committee, National Assembly leadership, and former PDP governors.
The communiqué stated, “The postponement is to ensure that the party approaches the Ondo gubernatorial elections with the unity and strength required to unseat the struggling All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state.” The meeting emphasized the importance of unity among party members and urged them to avoid divisive rhetoric that could undermine the PDP’s efforts as the main opposition party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Governor Mohammed also acknowledged the leadership of PDP Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum during the meeting. This follows a legal challenge from a faction loyal to Mohammed, seeking a court order to prevent the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission from canceling the NEC meeting. This lawsuit aimed to overturn a previous injunction preventing the removal of Damagum from office.
Despite the tensions, the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum expressed support for Damagum during a stakeholders’ meeting. Only five of the party’s 13 governors attended, including Mohammed, Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), and Caleb Muftwang (Plateau).
The meeting followed successful reconciliation efforts led by the Olagunsoye Oyinlola-led committee, which resolved internal disputes within the National Working Committee. In his opening remarks, Mohammed stated, “This is a PDP meeting, not a governors’ meeting. We are united today under the leadership of Umar Damagum, discussing vital issues.”
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