The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, on Wednesday blamed party leaders for its crises.
Damagum stated this in his remarks at the party’s 79th Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting in Abuja.
He said that though the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) was having little crisis, it was being propelled by leaders who were supposed to unite the party.
The chairman decried situations where some members of the NWC would honour the invitations of some party leaders without his knowledge.
He warned the leaders against destroying the party for their political ambitions.
Damagum said: “You may have ambition but you don’t ride on a dead horse to reach your destination.
“If you create a crisis simply to further your ambition, you may get what you want but your dream will not be realised because, by that time, you have injured the horse you are going to ride to that destination.
“As the conscience of this party, some of us are also complicit. We should look inwards, search our conscience.”
The chairman advised PDP members to sheath their swords, saying the party remained the hope of Nigerians.
He assured BoT members that the NWC under his watch would do everything possible to hold the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting by February.
“You are all aware that we have started the process of our zonal congresses. Even at that, I enjoin our leaders to also be mindful of doing anything that can mar these congresses.
“It’s very important to sound this note because in whatever we do, it is the structure you are building to hold what you have in your hand.
“We are supposed to bring credible people. We recently had congresses across almost 29 states, though we have problems in few states, but I know we are getting there,” Damagum stated.
In his remarks, the BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara, expressed dissatisfaction with the leadership crises in the party.
He said it was disheartening that the issues had not been resolved.
According to the former Senate President, failure to resolve the internal conflicts had undermined the strength and credibility of the party.
“It is, therefore, imperative for NWC to rise above personal interests and place the survival and progress of our great party above all other considerations.
“In light of these challenges, I must emphasise the urgent need for a NEC meeting.
“I again urge the NWC to honour its words and convene the NEC meeting in February, as scheduled,” Wabara said.
