- The Peoples Democratic Party rebukes Senator Dino Melaye for claiming the party is defunct, citing internal crises and poor governance
- PDP’s National Publicity Secretary asserts the party remains strong, emphasizing its significant presence with governors, senators, and representatives nationwide
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned recent remarks made by Senator Dino Melaye, a former governorship candidate in Kogi State, who accused the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) members of contributing to the party’s decline. Melaye claimed that the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and National Organizing Secretary, Umar Bature, had commercialized the party to the detriment of its members, suggesting that the PDP is now defunct.
Melaye expressed his frustration on social media, declaring that the PDP is a “once upon a time” party and accusing the current leadership of destroying the party’s legacy. He further criticized the party’s direction, stating that the founding fathers of the PDP would be disappointed with the current leadership.
The PDP has been experiencing internal turmoil since Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State, lost the presidential primary to Atiku Abubakar. The situation escalated when Wike supported the APC candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, leading to his appointment as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The PDP’s NWC recently set up Reconciliation and Disciplinary Committees in response to the ongoing crisis, but these efforts have been met with resistance. For instance, Chief Bode George, a member of the Disciplinary Committee, refused to serve under Chief Tom Ikimi due to irreconcilable differences.
The PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, countered Melaye’s claims, asserting that the PDP remains a strong and active party. He pointed out that the party still has a significant presence in the country, with 13 governors, senators, and members of the House of Representatives, emphasizing that the PDP is far from being defunct.
Meanwhile, Chief Bode George, a member of the PDP’s Board of Trustees, has called for a post-mortem analysis of the party’s crisis before any reconciliation efforts can be effective. He stressed that understanding the root causes of the party’s issues is crucial to prevent future occurrences.