ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Factional Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abdulrahman Mohammed, has pledged to restore unity, stability, and discipline within the opposition party as it battles deepening internal divisions.
Mohammed, who assumed office on Monday at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, said his administration’s top priority is to “reposition the party and make it law-abiding.”
“We are all aware of the current pitiable state of our glorious party because of the actions and inactions of our leaders and members,” he said in a statement issued on Monday.
Reflecting on the PDP’s decline, Mohammed said the party had moved from “being the ruling party for 16 uninterrupted years to an opposition for over a decade” a situation worsened by “unexplainable and unconscionable defections” of governors, legislators, and local council chairmen.
“I have accepted to become Acting National Chairman at this difficult time through the mercy of God and instrumentality of very critical stakeholders of this party,” he said.
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Mohammed declared that his main mission is to heal internal wounds, end factionalisation, and prepare the ground for a credible, all-inclusive National Convention.
“My job here as Acting National Chairman is simple: heal the party of its wounds and end factionalisation, reposition the party and make it law-abiding,” he stressed.
“And to plan an all-inclusive National Convention, and hand over to a properly elected National Working Committee (NWC) after concluding all the outstanding congresses at the zonal, state, local government and ward levels.”
He further pledged to return the PDP to its real owners the Nigerian people.
“Hand over this our beloved party back to her true owners, the Nigerian people. I want to assure all PDP faithful, critical stakeholders and Nigerians at large, that a new dawn has come and with it the renaissance of the PDP,” Mohammed declared.
He appealed for collective support to rebuild the party, saying he could not achieve the task alone.
“I cannot do this seemingly difficult job alone; I will need all your support, prayers and genuine commitment to join hands on lifting our party, the PDP, upwards,” he added.
Mohammed disclosed that consultations with key party figures are ongoing, and announced that a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) would soon be convened to address pressing internal issues.
Vanguard reports that his assumption of office came after a chaotic weekend that saw the Umar Damagum-led faction suspend several top officials, including National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu and Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade, over alleged anti-party activities.
In a swift counteraction, Anyanwu’s camp, backed by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, announced the suspension of Damagum and some members of his team, accusing them of undermining the party’s integrity.
The Wike-backed bloc later appointed Abdulrahman Mohammed as Acting National Chairman, claiming the move was necessary to “restore order and legitimacy” to the PDP’s leadership structure.