Politics
PDP crisis deepens as Reps minority leaders disown 60 lawmakers
A threat by certain House of Representatives members to abandon the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, April 8, appears to have sparked major divisions in the lower legislative body.
This comes as the minority leaders of the green chamber, selected from all opposition parties, have rejected the 60 members who demanded the resignation of the PDP acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, over suspected anti-party activity.
The Coalition of Opposition Lawmakers had threatened to leave the PDP if Damagum did not step down to make space for the selection of a new interim chairman from the north central.
The suspended national chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, hails from the north central zone.
Reacting in a statement issued and co-signed on Tuesday by the Minority Leader and leader of the caucus, Kingsley Chinda; Deputy Minority Leader, Ali Madaki; Minority Whip, Ali Isah and Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi, the leaders described the Ikenga Ugochinyere-led coalition as a body unknown to the parliament.
The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to a press release by the group and we state unequivocally that the minority caucus and the PDP caucus dissociates themselves from the said press statement.
“The said coalition of lawmakers led by Ikenga Ugochinyere is unknown to the parliament and both caucuses condemn in totality the absurd move, the uncouth and unparliamentary language of the group.
“The general public should take note that such a coalition is unknown to parliament, and their demands do not represent that of the minority parties.
“The said lawmakers should desist from further misinformation of the public and be more honourable in their conduct.”