Defection: PDP to constitute caretaker committee for Delta

The acting National Chairperson of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagun, has said the party will soon constitute a caretaker committee to regain control of its political structure in Delta State.

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Mr Damagum stated this on Thursday during the presentation of a certificate of return to Ezenwafor Jude, the party’s governorship candidate in Anambra State.

He disclosed that the national leadership is also reviewing its party structures across the country, with Delta State now a priority following the recent political developments.

“I want to use this opportunity to say, we’ll take over our structures immediately by setting up a caretaker. We are still taking stocks and we will do that immediately. I also want to enjoin our members, both in Delta and the country in general, I want to remind us what happened in 2023. The DPP can still make it simple,” he said.

Delta State, a longtime PDP stronghold, was shaken this week when Governor Sheriff Oborevwori announced his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ifeanyi Okowa, the former vice presidential candidate in the last election and the entire leadership of the party in the state also defected to the APC.

The defection ended PDP’s 26-year control of the oil-rich South-south state.

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The pioneer state chairperson of the party, James Manager, announced the defection after a meeting of the governor with PDP leaders and stakeholders at the Government House, Asaba.

Mr Manager, also a former senator, attributed the move to the lingering leadership crisis within the PDP at the national level and its possible implication for the party in the next general elections.

Defection sad, unfortunate

Mr Damagun expressed disappointment with the defection and described it as “sad and unfortunate,” given the party’s long standing support for Delta State.

“It’s very sad and unfortunate because, to me, if there’s any state that should think that way, not Delta, because the party is very magnanimous. I thank God that in their message, they didn’t say that the party did anything wrong to them other than good.”

The Chairperson maintained that the party did no wrong to warrant such a betrayal, suggesting that the decision was politically motivated rather than based on internal grievances.

“It’s a decision taken by them, but the pains will be in us not because of anything, but because we have given Delta State all our support, from the emergence of the governor to his predecessor, who also doubled as our vice presidential candidate. I think we’ve done it all for them in Delta State. We least expected this action from them. All the same, this is a party that has seen more than that, but it’s still standing.”

2027 elections

The acting national Chairperson said the 2027 general elections would not be a contest between parties or individuals but as a referendum on President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He referenced the performance of Peter Obi in the 2023 election as evidence that popular sentiment can overpower political strength.

“Obi has no governor but he muzzled all those votes that he muzzled. This election in 2027, is not about how many governors you have or how many leaders. It’s about Tinubu and Nigerias will give you the result I believe that before 12 ‘o ‘clock because you can coerce, persuade, and intimidate our members to come in to support you. The ordinary man is feeling the pinch and the decision is his. So I want to use this opportunity to tell Nigerians that it is their election. It is APC versus Nigerians.

“It’s not APC versus any governor or senator or anything but APC versus Nigerians. So I want to urge all of us to close ranks and rescue ourself from this hardship that is inflicted on us by design, not any coincidence. Policies are meant for people, no one else because you make policy and it’s not for the ordinary people,” he said.

READ ALSO: Delta mass defections painful, disappointing, Damagum

Mr Damagun urged party members to remain steadfast in their faith and commitment to democratic principles.

“We will experience a lot of challenges but there is no challenge that is insurmountable. I thank God we are all people of faith. We know there is a limit to whatever one can do other than what God has designed. You may have your own tactics where you cannot outplay God. We leave our fate in the hands of God and we believe He will help us out of this great situation,” he said.