Politics
Main Reason I Signed Letter To Appeal Court Over 27 Rivers Lawmakers — Damagum
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Acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Iliya Damagum, has explained his decision to sign the controversial letter to the Appeal Court on the case involving the embattled 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly contrary to the position of the party’s national legal adviser, Mr. Ajibade, SAN.
Damagum, who said there was a precedence for his action, noted that he and the party’s national secretary are the signatories of PDP, stressing that he didn’t make the decision without consulting members of his team.
He stated this on Wednesday while inaugurating the Disciplinary and Reconciliation Committees of the party headed by Chief Tom Ikimi and Prince Olagunsoye Onyinlola, respectively.
Recall that a former national publicity secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, had lambasted Damagum and the party’s national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, for writing to the Appeal Court in Rivers State, insisting that the party would remain on an appeal over the embattled 27 Rivers State lawmakers contrary to the position of the party’s legal adviser, Mr. Ajibade, SAN.
The former party spokesman said the acting national chairman breached the party’s constitution by taking that action without recourse to the national legal adviser who, he said, is empowered by Section 42 (1) of the party’s constitution to nominate legal representation for the party.
Earlier, opposition federal lawmakers had accused Damagum and Anyanwu of orchestrating a plot to undermine the party’s interests in Rivers State.
The group led by Rep Ikenga Ugochinyere said Damagun and Anyawu opposed the PDP national legal adviser’s move to ensure that the sacked pro-Wike 27 lawmakers, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from PDP, are neutralised and stopped from doing any harm to PDP interest and possible removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara from office.
Ugochinyere explained that the Rivers State High Court had previously issued an ex parte order on July 8, 2024, restraining key state officials from interacting with the defected lawmakers.
However, he alleged that Dr. J.Y. Musa, SAN, filed an appeal against the order, despite opposition from the PDP’s national legal adviser.
He said, “The National Legal Adviser, constitutionally empowered to protect the interests of the PDP, had already moved to withdraw the appeal on July 24, 2024, recognizing its potential harm to the party.
“However, in a shocking turn of events, on August 15, 2024, Damagum and Anyanwu sent a letter to the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, dissociating themselves from the withdrawal, effectively undermining the Legal Adviser’s authority,” Ugochinyere said.
However, responding for the first time on the crisis, Damagum said, “I also want to use this opportunity to clear certain insinuations that have been trending on social media. Last I checked, the signatories of this party are the chairman and the secretary.
“Just because the chairman and secretary signed a letter, it has become an issue. People are making all sorts of insinuations about it. I don’t want to engage with the other person—it’s a distraction.
“But it pains me when I see someone who knows the workings of the NWC going on television to mislead the audience and say things that are not correct. It is painful. Very, very painful.
“There is precedent for what we did. During Kashamu’s case, the chairman and secretary brought it to the Supreme Court. There was also the issue of Anambra.
“Two issues arose. The chairman and secretary, in any situation, work as a team. I don’t make decisions without consulting my members,” the acting PDP national chairman stated.
The vice presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, Rabiu Kwankwaso on Sunday met with the National Leader of the party, Seriake Dickson over the recent court ruling on the party’s registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Gistcore recalls that the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Friday vacated its December 10, 2025 judgment which compelled the electoral body to register the NDC as a political party.
In the ruling delivered in suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025, Justice Isah Dashen held that the earlier judgment was delivered without hearing all necessary parties, making the proceedings constitutionally defective.
The court’s decision followed an application by the Peace Movement Party, which argued that it had a legal interest in the matter and should have been joined in the suit before judgment was delivered.
The decision of the court has been raising dust as opposition parties accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of plotting to manipulate the judiciary.
In a post on his official Facebook page on Sunday, Senator Dickson confirmed the meeting with Kwankwaso, saying that they “discussed issues of mutual interest concerning our party”.
The NDC leader stated that himself and other leaders of the party have resolved to reject alleged one-party democracy.
“We reaffirmed our resolve to stand together in the fight for multi-party democracy, and I briefed him on the measures the party is taking to correct and redress the distractions occasioned by the anomalous ruling of the Federal High Court. We are on course,” he added.
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has advised President Bola Bola Tinubu to emulate former presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, saying they never deregistered opposition political parties.
Atiku made the call on Saturday in reaction to an attempt to deregister the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, through the courts.
The former Vice President said attempts to restrict political competition run contrary to democratic principles and could erode public confidence in the electoral process.
Former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari never deregistered opposition political parties. Copy and learn from them.
“If you’re truly popular and your policies have positively bettered the lives of the citizens, you shouldn’t be afraid of a free and fair competition,” Atiku said.
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has raised concerns over plans by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to establish state police through a constitutional amendment.
In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the opposition party said the Tinubu administration’s credibility and competence were at an unprecedented low in Nigeria’s democratic history.
The party acknowledged the need for a major review and overhaul of Nigeria’s security, law and order institutions to address insecurity and strengthen citizens’ confidence in leaders and critical institutions.
However, it argued that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration lacked the moral standing and public trust required to undertake a major restructuring of the country’s policing system.
“Going by precedent and record, this administration will almost certainly secure what is needed to amend the constitution and actualize its desire to establish State Police,” the statement said.
“While Nigeria needs major review and overhaul of its security and law and order institutions to address national security and create an environment that should raise citizens’ confidence and faith in leaders and critical institutions, this administration lacks the moral assets and the trust of Nigerians to undertake a major shift in the policing structure of the country.
“The APC administration has failed to manage our security structure and institutions. Its plan to engineer the emergence of State Police is suspicious and it should be rejected.”
The PRP said the forthcoming election should serve as a test of credibility and popular acceptance before the country takes decisions on major issues such as the creation of state police.
It also urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure citizens and bring an end to the insecurity facing the country.
President Bola Tinubu had on Tuesday transmitted to the Senate a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide for the establishment of state police services across the federation. The upper chamber passed the bill on Wednesday.
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