ABUJA: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), backed by Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, on Sunday reversed the status of its immediate past National Chairman, Umar Damagum, redesignating him as Deputy National Chairman (North) at its 2026 national convention in Abuja.
The resolution formed part of key decisions reached at the convention, where a motion for the reversal was moved by former House of Representatives member Tajudeen Yusuf and seconded by party stalwart Bello Bichi.
While presenting the motion, Yusuf recalled that Damagum had earlier been appointed substantive national chairman following the PDP’s 102nd National Executive Committee meeting in 2025.
The convention also ratified recently conducted ward, local government and state congresses across Abia, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara, Kogi, Ogun, Osun, Nasarawa, Niger, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory.
Delegates further endorsed the party’s zonal congresses in the North-East, South-South and North-Central, following a motion moved by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and seconded by Zainab Baku.
In another development, the convention ratified the dissolution of the Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Caretaker Working Committee to pave the way for the emergence of new party executives.
Meanwhile, the National Secretary of the dissolved committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, stirred fresh debate by claiming possession of the party’s original registration certificate.
Anyanwu made the assertion while presenting the committee’s report, describing his role as a bridge between the 2021 National Working Committee and the current transitional leadership.
“I want to show you that I have the original copy of the PDP certificate,” he said, framing the claim as a symbol of continuity and legitimacy amid ongoing leadership disputes.
He admitted that the party had faced deep internal crises since December 2021, marked by factional struggles and legal battles, but maintained that it had met its financial obligations despite inherited debts and court-ordered account restrictions.
Anyanwu commended the leadership of Muhammed for steering the party through what he described as one of its most turbulent periods and urged stakeholders to unite, describing the PDP as a vehicle for democracy and national progress.
